It really rocked to see the Pathans bat India to victory. It was the equation of 46 off 26 when I changed the channel with all the batsmen back in the dug-out and India looking and staring at a defeat. When India was first rocked at 14/2, the third wicket partnership looked so strong that, it seemed that Yuvraj and Raina would finish off the job in a matter of time. But the double stroke that India suffered losing both Yuvi and Raina one after the other gave the Islandrs a good chance of a comeback and a fightback. Actually the way Raina got out was very disappointing in a spectator's point of view. The shot to which he got out was really not necessary at that stage. Because he had already hit a six in that over and was looking to go over the top once again. Then Dhoni too got out cheaply. And India really really looked quite hopeless with 7 down and the target suddenly looked ages far. But the way Yusuf and Irfan batted was just breath-taking. I was so disappointed at seeing the Indian plight that I no longer wished to watch the match. But just took a chance to see the score as I couldn't help myself. And I was so lucky to see the reamining match that, I thanked the heavens a million times. Had I not switched the channel, I would have missed a lot of great action which you do not get to see. What was more satisfying was the way Lankan fans were responding. There were so crest-fallen. But all the credit to the Pathans. Congratulations to Team India!

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India looks well set for the no. 1 spot. With both the bowlers and batsmen in form, it doesn't look too difficult now. And India has marched towards this spot by dethrowning Australia from the No. 2 position. Now, SA is no. 1, India is no. 2 and Australia is no.3. But still in the longer version of the game, it's Australia who is still at the top. It will take some tough cricket from Dhoni and his men before his dream of taking India to the top in both the versions of the game is realised. And I think, that day is not too far when it will materialize.
But the loss to Sri Lanka in the final ODI pushed India to the third spot once again. As SA was just for some days at the top of the ICC Team rankings, so was India. But there was a double blow. The first was that, India lost to Sri Lanka. And there Down Under, OZ defeated NZ. So Australia could climb up a spot again.

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Of course. There is not even an iota of doubt in this fact. TV replays very loudly screaming that it's Haddin and not Clarke who had bowled out Broom. So, I whole-heartedly agree with what Vettori had to say. Vettori is a very mature and seasoned player. He has been around for a fair bit of time and he knows what is right and wrong to say in front of the media. If the Australians were so aware about public speaking then why did a OZ player in a radio interview speak against McCullm. Was that right then? It does not look good for the Aussies to speak about being honest on the field. All know what had happned there. How the Indians were cheated repeatedly. And along with the Australian team there was Bucknor too. Then there was Andrew Symonds to had openly confessed to being out on 30. And in the same innings he went on to score one of his best scores. So Aussies, please stop complianing now. Learn to accept defeat. I tell you these Aussies don't know how to be greacious in defeats too.Meanwhile the Indians too are suffering again at the hands of poor and childish umpiring. I there are whimps doing the umpiring for the Indo-SL series. First it was Sachin Tendulkar - well not once but twice. One of them at the hands of Kumara Dharmasena. He forgot his dharma - his duties - and gave the best batsman on the earth out. It makes the number game for all very very difficult. Then in the second ODI it was Yuvraj who was given out by Gamini Silva who might need an eye surgery to see properly.I wanna ask why doesn't the ICC use the third umpire and the other technology to adjust the decisions. Rather than depend of stupid people like Gamini Silva, Kumara Dharmasena or Steve Bucknor.

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It is difficult to predict the result so early. So early? The series is already 2 matches old. But yes, still it is not easy to say who will win and by what margin. But I think one thing is for sure, India has a golden opportunity to win the series now. By having worked so hard, they have only themselves to blame for and play bad bad cricket to lose a series from here on. Before the start of the series though, even the media had said that the Lankas are better prepared than that of India. Becase Sri Lanka had played as many as 11 matches in the last two months as against only 5 by India. These 5 matches were all played against only one nation - England. But Sri Lanka played these 11 matches against 3 different opponanats. So, that gave them more variety to Sri Lanka. But the Dhoni led team again made magic and did the unthinkable. They proved all the critics wrong and gave a new hope of becoming the world no. 1 even by toppling SA. They have got a clue of playing Mendis, who I believed was never a real threat. See Ajit Agarkar. He has the record of capturing the first 50 ODI wickets, the fatest. But now what is his plight? I am not accusing or pointing fingers. But I am saying that Indians have studied Mendis quite carefully. That's why he has only 2 wickets in 2 matches. And these two wickets too were of the tail-enders in the second ODI. He went wicketless in the first match. Moreover Yuvi played him better than anytime else. Well as far as the world No. 1 spot is considered, I think, the problem will arise then, when India takes of SA. Till now like me many have suppored SA to play against and defeat OZ. But when India plays SA then it will be a real test. All I can then say is BEST OF LUCK TO TEAM INDIA!

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It's a great feeling to see your country a victorious one. Dhoni is the man of the moment. He is doing everything right. His times are such that he can do nothing wrong even if he does so with decision. Anyways, its a great great feeling. Taking a lead early in the series is always what any team is looking whether it is playing in home conditions or away. Gautam Gambhir once again played a crucial knock early in the Indian innings along with Suresh Raina. On one hand where Sri Lanka stiched together a 118 run 2nd wicket partnership, here was India who got 113 run-partnership. Dhoni let by example and played a captains knock. His 61 not out from only 65 balls was the third half-century of the Indian innings. Gambhir, Raina were the other two who not only played some breath taking shots but also took the initiative away from the Lankas after losing Tendulkar early for only 5. But that LBW decision looked rather doubtful; but that made no difference to the two left-handers.

Another thing. When all are talking about the Indian batting spare a thought for the bowlers too, who gave away only 5 extras as compared to 17 by the Lankans. As when we are talking about all this, Dhoni remains as the center of the foucs not only for his batting, but with the precision that he decided to use the batting site powerplay was taken at the most correct time. And he pair that time was Dhoni-Rohit Sharma. These two added around a run a ball. As compared to this the Lankas had not scored much but importantly lost the prize wicket of Jayasuriya.Anyways, congrats again to Team India, and we all look forward to yet another win on Saturday.

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