Kumar and Tendulkar shine as Gilchrist fades away

Two of one-day cricket's biggest legends, automatic picks for any all-time XI, and yet the manner in which they exited the Australian stage couldn't have been more contrasting. Sachin Tendulkar's marvellous 91 set up the game for India, while Adam Gilchrist's first-over dismissal meant that Australia's chase was ill-fated from the start. With India's win, the tri-series also went into the pages of history, without the home win that a near-capacity crowd at the Gabba would have hoped for.

The nine-run triumph also gave India their third success against Australia in the competition - they lost at Adelaide and Sydney - and provided a measure of revenge after a 2-4 reverse on home soil last October. With retirements and an ageing side making Australia a less formidable proposition, world cricket may finally see the sort of contests that it's craved after a decade of relentless Australian domination.

A year ago, India's World Cup campaign floundered in the Caribbean largely because captain and coach were denied the young, vibrant side that they sought. That debacle prompted considerable navel-gazing, and the subsequent victory of an unproven side at the T20 World Cup hastened the generational change that has seen the likes of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly left by the wayside.

And how the young men proved themselves when it mattered. Ishant Sharma played no part at the Gabba, but was outstanding during the course of a series where he took 14 wickets. In his absence today, the onus was very much on the inexperienced Praveen Kumar and the temperamental Sreesanth.

Kumar was a revelation, varying his pace and bowling cutters, all with the phlegmatic air of a man who had done it many times before. The lack of reaction after the magnificent leg-cutter that flummoxed Brett Lee was revealing, and the way he shied away from the cameras and microphones on receiving the man-of-the-match award also augurs well for the future.

Even Sreesanth kept histrionics to a minumum and concentrated on what mattered. Desperately unlucky not to snaffle Matthew Hayden early on, he returned to take two crucial wickets. Michael Hussey nicked one behind - it did take Bruce Oxenford, the third umpire, an age to make what was a straightforward decision - and when Mitchell Johnson followed suit, it was all down to James Hopes.

After such a fractious summer, there was much more than a mere trophy at stake, and Hopes' disconsolate reaction when he holed out to midwicket suggested as much. Australia had dominated the early stages of the tournament, but as it happened last year against England, they ran out of puff in the finishing straight. 

Credit though has to go to Tendulkar, who followed that sensational century at Sydney with a more prosaic but equally effective innings. Again, Australia's formidable new-ball attack was blunted and the openers stuck around long enough to make the middle order's task far easier.

Tendulkar once again drove and flicked beautifully, and only a miscue on the walk against Michael Clarke cost him a second successive hundred. India have few marquee one-day games coming up over the next few months, and the World Cup is all of three years away, so this might just be the perfect moment for Tendulkar to walk away from the one-day game, and concentrate on a Test career that's still in rude health.

Unlike Gilchrist, he may never win a World Cup but his performances in the finals will linger long in the memory, especially given that they came alongside boys that grew up with his posters on their walls.

Comments

[Punit]

It's an interesting position, Dileep - but would the emergingin generation of Indian players not benefit from more time with Sachin, even in "meaningless ODIs"?

I'm a little concerned at the look of the Test side now. Don't misunderstand - I think the old guard of Dravid, Ganguly and Kumble are wonderful players and I hope to see them continue, but by having such distinctly different teams might be difficult to manage. It's still seen as something of a slight against the older players that they are not considered for ODIs anymore. Of course, the team comes first, but I just wonder how those tensions will be managed going forwards.

[Ann]

I agree with Manu. Given Tendulkar's brilliant performance in the last few days, I see no reason for him to retire from ODIs if he feels he has the energy - and if he continues to turn in this kind of performance, selectors that ditch him would need to have their heads examined.

[Lawls]

Well played India and particularly the little master, he was the difference in this hard-fought final series. Congratulations.

[Saurabh]

As much as I have enjoyed Sachin's masterclass in these two finals, I will agree with Dileep in suggesting that he retire from ODIs to prolong his test career.

He has already achieved every thing that he could have in ODIs except the World Cup (and I suppose he is not dreaming of playing in 2011).

By playing in meaningless one-dayers, he will only imperil his test career with constant niggles and strains.

[kap]

Tendulkar's experience has been an immense help to the younger boys. Now is not the time for him to walk away and leave them to it. They need atleast another year learning from the master.

[Tarun Y]

Hi Dileep,

You wrote in a post at the start of the Indian tour down-under something along the lines of, "nothing like a tour of Australia to separate the men from the boys" ...

was wondering if you could give a report card style marks out of 10 for those who took part in the Tests and Commonwealth Bank ODI series? Mentioning those in particular who you think have a bright future and those who you think have to work harder...

[Ottayan]

The Australians seemed mentally fatigued.

I believe we can expect a couple of more retirements.

[Rama]

Full Credit to India, they deserved to win. Sachin was seriously hampered by his groin injury, unable to move his feet much after he got to fifty, and yet still managed to keep the scoreboard ticking. It must be immensely satisfying to the little master. This has been a wonderful series where we have only witnessed one 300+ scoring game. Organisers should note this: ODI's are exciting when they are low scoring and bowlers are given some assistance.

On another note, it has been great to read Dileep's blogs over the summer. I think your a fantastic writer, and quick one too! Keep it up.

[presh]

well said dileep. time for sachin to quit when the world is saying why, rather than waiting for the world to say why not?

[Manu V]

Is it really time for the little master to hang up his boots? I believe we do owe him the privilege to make that choice himself.. For quite some time now, critics were after him with the same opinion whenever he underperformed even a little bit.