What wasn't wrong with Sachin's powerplay and Nehra's last over

Better it happened now. Not at knockout.

I am not ruling it out during knockout. It is a possibility. The only worry about India has, when the batting fails, which was always going to happen once in a while, bowlers must win you the match. Then only you may claim that you are world’s No 1 team.

Huh. I don’t buy that. India, as of now, by no means, is a champion side (as of now, I mentioned. Don’t get selective).

Indian batting is No 1.

The problem is, Indian bowling is also number one. From the bottom. (Alright, I admit exaggeration)

I am writing this article for various reasons. The primary reason is my hate for ‘retrospective analysis’. India’s power play, Nehra’s over, and I don’t know what else.

When Sachin took the power play, it looked right to me (us?). Had it materialized, India would have had 370 on board. But then, it didn’t.

Making a decision is like jumping in a river, like throwing yourself to current. You don’t really know where you may end up. A decision can go either way.

In India’s case, decision boomeranged. India tumbled.

Throwing the ball to Nehra also looked like a well thought out decision. Harbhajan bowls, one ball clears the rope and match over. So, giving over to seamer made sense.

Then you may ask, what different did Nehra do?

I don’t say Nehra should have bowled the last over. Neither do I say Harbhajan should have bowled the last over. Problem is, Dhoni had two choices, both had their pluses and negatives, and HE HAD TO MAKE ONE. He did, but sadly it did not work out. When these work out, my fellow authors turn Dhoni into genius.

Poor Dhoni guy is trying to make best possible decisions. He hasn’t fixed the match. Neither he is a masochist to hand over the ball to Nehra.

South Africa weren’t more adroit. India weren’t any less.

South Africa were just lucky.

Get your head in place. Nothing real bad happened. Whatever we tried to do, (includes Gambhir’s slip to let off Du Plesis(if that’s right)), didn’t work out.

Tomorrow will be a new day.