The Indian - England ODI series had started getting interested with each ODI being played. If you can recollect, the first ODI was very one sided. The second got interested with India struggling at 3/29 and Yuvi managed to rescue India and win. The third, the fourth and the fifth got even more balanced to the extent that England was expected to win at least one or more of the last three ODIs.
And then the hell break apart. With terrorist attacks in Bombay(Mumbai), England decided to cut short the series and call back their players. Which is obvious considering the security aspects of the English players - Security must always come first.
"The Test series will go ahead, and there is no problem with that,"
Modi sais. "We are sure the first Test will go ahead as
scheduled in Ahmedabad (from December 14). But there is a problem over
hosting the second Test in (troubled) Mumbai (from December 19). The ECB wants the
Test to be shifted to southern India, we are exploring all options."
Harbhajan is a genius when it comes to bowling the opponents out, if only he is focused. He has many a tricks up his sleeve to bundle the opponents out.
On Thursday, Nov 20, 2008, he had a new one, where he slowed the bowl in the air and claimed 3/31, leading India to win by 16 runs in a shortened match against England.
Bhajji was declared Man of the Match for his superb performance.
This time Bhajji shone up with his bat rather than his spinning fingers. When India was in need to score, it was Harbhajan Singh who rose to rescue India after the top order Indian batsmen struggled against Johnson.
Harbhajan smashed 54 as India, replying to Australia's first innings
total of 430, recovered from 155-5 to 313-8 by stumps on the third day
at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
Zaheer Khan chipped in with an unbeaten 35 during an eighth-wicket
stand of 80 with Harbhajan as the last three Indian wickets plundered
158 runs after the famed top order had been decimated by Johnson
It will interesting to watch the series, Australia having an upper hand. Australia has won their last two Test series, one again India, where as India has lost both the encounters in the recent past - against Australia and Sri Lanka. But you never know, Indians are always tigers on their own grounds.
Indian team has been putting up improved performance against Sri Lanka as each day passes by in the ODI series.
It started with a humiliating loss in the first ODI, followed by a reversal where the Indian pacers led by Zaheer Khan really bowled fire to avenge the first ODI. Though it was a not a spectacular victory.
Third ODI was a lack luster performance. India won it to lead the searies 2-1 but could have done much better.
Then comes the forth one with a team effort inspired by no one else but the skipper MS Dhoni. "India beat Sri Lanka by 46
runs in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) on Wednesday to clinch the Idea
cup, with one match to spare. Sri Lanka was all out for 212 runs chasing target
of 259. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India has now broken the 10 year jinx of
not having won an ODI series on Sri Lankan soil" quoted Times of India.
It was indeed a spectacular leadership that led to team work by the visiting team. "He has played two
crucial knocks, and he is outstanding." said Vengasrakar. A few weeks ago, an Indian team was
groping in the dark under the Muralitharan and Mendis menace. But, this One-day
team filled with youngsters has made all the difference.
So far, Dhoni's record as a skipper has been excellent. He has been delivering to expectations his fan club has from him. Ways to go Dhoni!
On Thursday, Nov 20, 2008, he had a new one, where he