Another impressive performance by M.S. Dhoni and his men would have left Indian fans delighted for a second successive weekend. The Indian team looks completely transformed after the break they took following the tri-series. They are sharper, refreshed, renewed and hungry — all of which have resulted in two successive commanding performances against very strong sides.
South Africa would have reason to worry because of the magnitude of the defeat — which reflected accurately the extent to which they were outplayed. The Indians batted and bowled better, but most tellingly, they fielded better against a unit that prides itself in being one of the best in the fray. The South Africans were very lacklustre for most of the game and perhaps it was the quality of India’s batting and bowling that made them look that way.
If Dhoni and his men looked composed and confident, AB de Villiers and his team looked out of sorts. The run-outs that punctuated their run chase were clear evidence that the South Africans were not thinking clearly or playing with any degree of confidence. Ghosts of earlier World Cup reversals will be brought up by fans and critics alike, which makes it critical that the team leaves this defeat behind to plan ahead. It’s important that the team and support staff take one game at a time instead of getting ahead of themselves.
There is not too much pressure on AB as he has a fantastic batting line-up to back him, what with Hashim Amla, David Miller, J.P. Duminy and Faf du Plessis all having blossomed into seasoned campaigners. Yes, he is one of the big stars of the tournament alongside Virat Kohli and Steve Smith but I doubt he is buckling under that tag. He is too good a player to not come good at some stage in the tournament.
There are also those who think South Africa is burdened by too large a team of mentors and coaches. This is something I really do not agree with, but is a feature of the modern game across teams. I know most teams have large support teams and if South Africa had won, it would have been seen as a bonus.
Since they were at the wrong end of the result, questions are being raised. The thought behind getting Mike Hussey and Gary Kirsten on board must be to leave nothing to chance this time and there is nothing wrong in that.
For the Indians, the only concern is that cliched concept of ‘peaking too early’. There is really no reason why a team cannot start well and perform right through the tournament — Australia have done that in the past — and India have the quality to keep the momentum going.
One hopes the selectors are getting some credit for having backed Shikhar Dhawan and Ravichandran Ashwin even when their performance dipped. Add to that the comfort and confidence that Dhoni feels while leading in limited overs, which clearly lifts the team. True, it’s just the beginning of the tournament but the margin of the two wins, against top sides, is something that will give the Indians great joy.
— Gameplan
