Smith scores century as Dhoni & Co. bow out of title defense with 95-run loss to Australia
Thursday was supposed to be Redemption Day. It was supposed to be the day India exorcised the demons they encountered in the first half of their summer sojourn Down Under. It was supposed to be the day the boys proved that their march to the semifinals — unbeaten, with 70 wickets and all that — was more than dreamlike. It was supposed to be the day they took a monumental step towards defending their crown jewel on a grand Sunday.
It wasn't to be. And like MS Dhoni would admit, the World Cup doesn't belong to anyone. At some point, you've just got to part with that beautiful trophy. Gallant and gracious, much like he was on April 2 four years ago, Dhoni did just that. It's over to Michael Clarke, Brendon McCullum and their Trans-Tasman rivalry.
India's campaign, full of spunk and spine, ended in tepid, timid fashion at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Left of it were a whole lot of positives — solid batting, inspired bowling, electric fielding and an incredible sense of team spirit. It's a different matter that the pieces of the puzzle didn't come together on the day.
In fact everything, starting from the toss, went Australia's way. But that's no excuse for putting up an utterly wayward bowling display and gifting your wickets away with ridiculous regularity. In the end, the 95-run defeat seemed justified. The Aussies were just too good in every facet of the game.
The SCG was blanketed with blue, polka-dotted with yellow. There was more Bollywood tadka than pub rock, more pagdis than bushwear, more 'Jeetega bhai jeetega' than 'Come on Aussie'. None of this could get the Men in Blue to rise to the occasion.
And even if they wished to, Steve Smith wouldn't allow it. Returning to haunt India on autopilot mode, the baby-faced right-hander conjured another glorious hundred to take his tally against this opposition to 921 runs in the last four months. At a princely average of 115, mind you.
His second-wicket association with the unusually subdued but responsible Aaron Finch (81) was worth 182 runs off 31 overs. No other batsman reached 30, no other stand yielded 40 and no other pair lasted more than five overs. Credit to Umesh Yadav (4/72) and the spinners for that, but Australia still posted 328/7.
Expectedly, India had come up with their best batting display in the tournament. Many expected them to pull off a 300-plus coup for the 16th time. Yes, they had the batting to do it, but no one really turned up on the pristine strip that had runs written all over it.
Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma put on 76 runs in quick time, but when Dhawan and main man Virat Kohli fell in the space of three overs, that's when the 329-run mountain seemed so steep. Soon, Mitchell Johnson found an extra leg, Mitchell Starc kept at it by operating in the 150 kph zone and the fielding unit saw the stumps like William Tell viewed the apple.
It was Kohli's dismissal, off a mistimed pull and so reminiscent of Sachin Tendulkar's in the 2003 final, which pumped up the Aussies. He made one off 12 deliveries.
Kohli, who was welcomed with cheers and boos alike, would have hoped to carry on from where Dhawan had left. An enterprising 45, studded with six crisp fours and a huge six, saw India off to a flier. But that's when Dhawan suffered a rush of blood, smashing Hazlewood to deep extra cover where Glenn Maxwell kept his cool.
Sharma was circumspect to begin with, but unleashed the hook when Johnson bowled one short at him. He would hit the same bowler for another six, but fall off the next delivery, out bowled off an inside-edge for 34. Make that 91/3, absolutely against the run of play.
Ajinkya Rahane and Dhoni then added 70 runs off 80 deliveries, but the asking rate had reached alarming levels: 150 off less than 14 overs. A chancy review, the demand for which was accentuated by Smith, saw Rahane adjudged caught behind off Starc. At 178/5, only Dhoni stood between Australia and their fourth final in five World Cups. As he saw Ravindra Jadeja fall to a brilliant direct hit from Smith, Dhoni just went for his shots. Two sixes off Shane Watson infused new life into desi throats. But that was that. The man with the paranormal ability to finish games had run out of steam. With just a stump in sight, Glenn Maxwell's throw from midwicket was that good. Two-and-a-half overs later, the Indians would shake hands with the team that rightfully earned a shot at the trophy they surrendered.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}