Two great factors have helped Team India to become the hottest favourite for the Champions Trophy title. The first is they are away from home at a time when the saturation coverage of the IPL scandals would have hit anyone standing within half a mile of a television set.
Second, they are playing one-day internationals (50 overs), which really is their cup of tea. The magic formula of away atmosphere and favourite format is working very well indeed and the team are in clover. All that is needed now for a fairytale finish are two good days in the field in the knockouts and a bit of the famous rub of the green.
Conspiracy theorists would love this tale of a beleaguered team coming good against a background of intrigues and virtual public vilification of super stars who were embroiled in controversies, including the captain whose management company is also said to be under the scanner.
Leaving all the bad taste behind at home, Dhoni’s men have recaptured the art of one day cricket, which they seemed to have lost as recently as the turn of the year when Pakistan were victors on Indian soil. Now, it’s all systems ‘go’ as the Indians are piling on the runs and choking off the opposition like men possessed
Had this been Test cricket they may have struggled as they have experienced great difficulty in bowling sides out when playing abroad on sporting pitches. The arrangement has turned out so perfect that there would be great disappointment if Dhoni’s men do not come back with the trophy of which they had only a half share before, in rainy Sri Lanka about a decade ago.
On slender threads do hang the most interesting sporting tales and with most other teams struggling to make as distinct an impression except, perhaps, England, it appears history is about to be made again by the World Cup champion.
The dream run of Shikhar Dhawan whose three international innings including his Test debut read 187, 114 and 102* have had a lot to do with India’s shining form at the batting crease. Bowlers have been unable to work out the lengths to bowl to him. And the angles at which he plays the ball remain quite remarkable as the left hander keeps finding the right geometric shapes to show up the gaps in the field.
The touch is near magical as the ball speeds past cover or point as if with a will of its own. There is something to his stroke production that is artistic beyond the fact that as a left hander he is always thought to be elegant.
Where he has been hiding for two years from the ODI arena since his unusually poor run in the Caribbean in June 2011 is a bit of a mystery. Even the best parts of his yo-yo IPL form were never taken as an indication of his abilities. His scores may not have been weighty in the league but the manner in which he used to pose difficulties for the bowlers would have suggested there was more to him.
But, after the spectacular Mohali debut in which he made the fastest century by a Test debutant, there was never a question of not picking him for the format in which he had already begun his career three years ago.
The two century plus stands that Dhawan constructed with Rohit Sharma, particularly the one at The Oval in overcast and windy conditions that were ideal for fast bowlers, facilitated the building of a total as well settle a chase. No wonder the new look Team India did not miss the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, who at one time were one of world cricket’s most exciting opening partners.
Gautam Gambhir who also forged prominent opening partnerships was also not missed. With Rohit being consistent enough with two half centuries and fulfilling the promise everyone saw in him for years, things are looking just right for Team India at the top.
And then, of course, there is the irrepressible Sir Jadeja, the emerging artist with the ball who keeps it most simple and straight, more often doing things with variations of pace rather than big turn. His round-armed stump-to-stump line is baffling enough for batsmen to tie themselves in knots.
Team India are looking good in the matter of playing the containing game by taking the pace off the ball. The net result is the India-Pakistan clash of Sunday has been reduced to an academic exercise.