On October 16, 2013, two of one-day cricket’s best batsmen – Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh – sat in the dressing room, almost certain that it will depend on their bats whether India get close to Australia’s elephantine 359. But they were wrong. Three young turks of Indian cricket made sure that the team’s best ODI batsmen sit back and just enjoy as they pulverise Australia.
What India couldn’t do in 2003 with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly in the eleven, they managed to pull off without the services of Yuvraj and Dhoni ten years later. Of course it was different in 2003, with the pressure of a World Cup final against an invincible Australia; but not even in his most flowered dreams could an Indian fan imagine his team chasing down 359 with just one wicket down.
Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli almost mocked at the Australian bowlers – picking their spots, breaking records and reaching the mammoth target with the ridiculous ease explained by the 39 balls left to be bowled.
Those still at work made hasty return home to watch the second highest run-chase in ODI history, the quickest ODI century by an Indian and the highest ODI total for the loss off just one wicket, and above all, a carnage of Tsunamic proportions that left the Australian bowling figures on hospital beds.
An opening stand of 176, thanks to Brad Haddin dropping Dhawan on 18, laid the foundation. Dhawan (95) took charge in that partnership and once he left five runs short of his century, Kohli unleashed his aggression in a never-before manner. Rohit Sharma remained the constant between those two phenomenon, giving his two aggressive partners a sense of tranquil freedom to put the enemy down.
But Kohli was a commander out there on the war front, with the crowd bobbing in the stands and cheering him on to increase the intensity of his attacks. That he did, to the extent that it broke Virender Sehwag’s record of fastest ODI ton by an Indian. Kohli got his in 52 balls, with the familiar swears governing his lips.
Rohit on the other end had the map carefully laid out in front of him. It was as if he knew which route to take to reclaim the post Australia captured by winning the first ODI. While Kohli chose to bomb Australia with 7 sixes and 8 fours in his 100*, Rohit was content at slicing and cutting on his way to 141*, yet he took just 123 balls to do so with 17 fours and 4 sixes.
All this while, those two men, who India had no doubt will be the ones to bring this chase to a winning end, sat padded on – looking at each other every time a four or a six was hit, and then massaging their chin pondering at the possibility of maybe they won’t be needed.
For Dhoni and Yuvraj – as much for Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli and India – this will remain a memorable day for reasons they will happily laugh about with their grandchildren.
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