Just missed, once again

India messed up a golden opportunity to beat Australia in the first one-dayer Down Under, just when victory was theirs for the asking. The l...

India messed up a golden opportunity to beat Australia in the first one-dayer Down Under, just when victory was theirs for the asking. The lower middle-order batsmen failed to hold on to their nerve and succumbed to the pressure.

It was downright poor thinking on the part of the Indian batsmen that let the hosts off the hook in what should have been an easy victory. The golden rule, ‘‘Don’t leave for others what you can finish off yourself’’ could not have described better the situation as the Indians began throwing it all away.

I am sure Saurav Ganguly & Co. must be kicking themselves for their silly mistakes and for starting the one-day contest on a losing note.

At the outset, all seemed to go India’s way. They fielded brilliantly, bowled superbly, and batted as well as they have been doing on this tour. But the Australians won because they held their nerve and grabbed the opportunities that came their way. That’s the reason why they are world champions, for they never let go an opportunity to put it across to their rivals when they smell a kill.

Had they won the match, the Indians would have been on a different high, especially as it would have come so soon after their stupendous performance in the Test series.

Apart from Ajit Agarkar’s outstanding performance with the ball, I’ve been very impressed with the way Irfan Pathan is shaping up on the tour. Considering the fact that he was bowling in his debut match, Irfan turned his arm over superbly. Like Agarkar, he too swung the ball, something others have failed to do on this tour. He showed good temperament, fielded very well, and is definitely here to stay.

It’s been great watching Tendulkar and Sehwag on this tour. They have been simply fantastic. Ganguly, too, batted with gusto. As for Yuvraj, he loves to bat when the ball comes on to him. I am sure the Indians missed him during the Test series, for he is an awesome striker of the ball. It was his dismissal that started the procession yesterday. What he simply must learn now is to be a finisher — and quickly at that. As for the Australians, it’s amazing to watch them swing matches their way from near-hopeless situations. Their batsmen started off superbly and, even though they lost wickets, the pair of Andrew Symonds and Clarke not only forged a useful partnership but also kept the run-rate high all along.

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And, with Jason Gillespie taking upon himself the role of chief-wrecker that Glenn McGrath was so well known for, the Australians showed that they are made of sterner stuff indeed.