Dhoni committed 4 Tactical blunders
The fourth day of the first test match played between India and Australia has been the most exciting one. Firstly credit should be given to Australians for playing positive cricket by going after the bowling while Indians did an excellent job to restrict Australia to a very modest 192 and put themselves with a good chance of winning the test. However Aussie team once again proved why they dominated world cricket not till long back by engineering a top order collapse and with India reeling at 55 for 4 one must say they are favourites to win the test.
If India go on to lose the Test Match then it is their skipper M S Dhoni who has take a major part of the blame. M S Dhoni who took Indian cricket to great heights during his rein as skipper committed four blunders in this test match which could possibly cost them the match unless Sachin Tendulkar and V V S Laxman come up with something extraordinary. The blunders committed by M S Dhoni in this test match are:-
First mistake was by not taking the new ball after the dismissal of Shane Watson:- Australian innings were held together by an outstanding innings by Shane Watson in their first innings. Once Shane Watsons vigil ended with the score on 275 for 6 wickets after 111 overs Indians had a realistic chance of bowling out Australia in the region of 350 to 375 and the best way to do that was having a crack at the tail enders with the new ball. There are two possibilities with the new ball and while the bowlers may go for runs the positive thing it has more carry and benefits the fielding side more. M S Dhoni for some strange reasons did not take the new ball and this allowed Australian tail enders to prosper. While the sixth wicket fell at 275, the seventh fel only at 357 and ninth at 427.
Second mistake is by not going for a break through bowler:- One reason for M S Dhoni not taking the new ball may be due to injury to Ishant Sharma but when the tail enders were stitching partnerships with Paine, M S Dhoni should have gone for a partnership breaker and nobody fits the bill better than Sachin Tendulkarwho has broken partnerships umpteen number of the times in the past. Sachins mix of googlies, leg breaks and off spinners have castled many a top order batsmen and the likes of Johnson and Hauritz would have easily fallen to his trap. It is possible that Sachin may be carrying some injuries and may not be advised not to bowl but then Sachin is a genuine team man and he would not mind bowling a couple of overs for the team.
M S Dhoni committed a third mistake by going after the bowlers:- Indians were coasting with Sachin Tendulkar at the crease but Sachin's dismissal meant that the skipper had to come ahead of an injured Laxman. When Dhoni promoted himself with the knowledge that Laxman may not be able to bat he should have taken to responsibility upon himself to bat himself in and guide an inexperienced Raina. M S Dhoni should have played risk free cricket till he is absolutely sure that he has enough runs to go after the bowling as he is the last experienced batsman. M S Dhoni chose to take risks and India paid the penalty as the middle and lower order crashed.
Fourth mistake was by sending Suresh Raina just before stumps on fourth day:- With Sehwag got out India had about 5 overs to play on the fourth day. Any captain would have sent a night watchman to ensure that the specialist batsman gets a chance to play the next day and Ishant Sharma gave a good account of himself on the second day. M S Dhoni erred in sending Suresh Raina and his dismissal has put India on the back. Had Ishant Sharma got out yesterday with the score of 55 for 4 it would not have mattered because India would have been effectively 3 down but with Suresh Raina getting out at the fag end of days play India are indeed 4 wickets down.
Destiny too went against team India. On the third day India got all out exactly at the end of days play. Had the Indians been bowled out 10 overs before Indian bowlers could have had a crack at Aussie batsmen and could have got a couple of wickets. On the fourth day again luck went against India as Aussie batsmen got all out just at the right time to allow their bowlers to have a 17 over crack at them with yielded them 4 key wickets. Had Australians too got all out at the end of days play Indian batsman would have had the entire 10 wickets to start the fifth days play.
What could go against Australia is the fact that Sachin Tendulkar is still there at the crease and he had taken a heavy toll of them in the last 20 years and the fact that Laxman is declared fit to bat does not make their task any easier. Laxman and Sachin won a match for India from the jaws of defeat, the last time they played in a test match but it would be too much to expect them to do it in successive tests. Aussies for once are the favourites and if they manage to win this test it would do their confidence a world of good.
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