Champions, once again

Maybe, it comes with that World Champions tag. The swagger, the style and the audacity to end the game with a smashing six.

Maybe, it comes with that World Champions tag. The swagger, the style and the audacity to end the game with a smashing six. And also the aura that reduces the rivals to fumbling error-prone inferiors. MS Dhoni and his daredevils pinned down their rivals with a grip that has its origin Down Under.

Today, however, there was no chain-breaking escape for the Houdini of world cricket as Australia failed to recover from a mid-innings batting slump. India won the tour-ending one-off Twenty20 game by 7 wickets with 11 balls to spare in a carnival atmosphere complete with imported cheer girls and a DJ with a Chak de India CD stuck in his music system. In terms of one-dayers, this could be equated with a 10-wicket win with the game ending in the early 40 overs. And for the real old timers this was like an innings win in a Test match.

The Indians did everything that world champions are supposed to do. RP Singh yorking Adam Gilchrist after being hit; the plan to restrict Hayden and gradually frustrating him worked perfectly; inspired fielding got rid of Andrew Symonds and then the hosts followed all that with a matured batting display to time their run chase with surgical precision.

But before all that they had got their team combination right. Selecting the in-form Murali Kartik in place of sentimental favourite Joginder Sharma proved to be a master stroke. The Aussies, meanwhile, were made to look like wannabes. The decision to drop their main spinner Brad Hogg got exposed when the spinners got purchase from the pitch. The blazing start got buried because of a mid-inning run slump. Indisciplined bowling saw a spate of extras being gifted away.

More salt in the wound were the free-hits that went over the fence and over-throws that crossed the ropes. And all this meant Aussie captain Ricky Ponting had his hands on the hips, as frustrated bowlers around him kept swearing at themselves.

The charged up crowd that did indulge in anti-Aussie chants at the start of the game gradually got busy appreciating the home heroes rather than insulting the rivals. And that got reflected on field too. Words were exchanged between players, but the loudest statement was made by the most silent of cricketers on the field. Gautam Gambhir got the Man of the Match award for his 52-ball 63 and it was justice done to India8217;s most consistent player.

In his eight shorter version games he has hit four 50s. Gambhir8217;s two shots stood out 8212; his first and his last. He charged down the crease to slice Nathan Bracken over covers for a four. And later when Bracken returned, he played a stinging cut that raced past backward point all along the carpet. Gambhir started in savage style, but later, with the target getting nearer, he switched to subtlety.

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Though when Yuvraj Singh got into the big-hitting mode, one thought Gambhir might once again miss the Man of the Match award. During the World Cup at Durban those six 6s against England made Yuvraj8217;s 58 more eye-catching than Gambhir8217;s 58. WhileYuvraj played a big role in the Indians taking a bus-top ride on the streets of Mumbai, Gautam ensured that the Men in Blue did a victory lap at the CCI on a car-top. India are on a roll in Twenty20 cricket.