No, it wasn't a dream. India really is the World champions. And as an exultant nation wakes up to the happiest Monday morning of its life I dare say it's a phrase that will be often repeated by millions of thrilled, joyous fans with delicious and deserved relish in the weeks, months and even years to come.
This was no lucky victory either. Unlike 1983 when Kapil Dev's team of bits and pieces players shocked the world at Lord's by suffocating the West Indies in the unlikeliest of triumphs, Dhoni and his men had their names on the cup from the beginning. Some of us, myself included, thought the pressure would be too much to endure, even for a side containing the perfect blend of youth and experience.
We doubted whether a team lacking depth in bowling could go all the way through the knock out phases without slipping up. We looked at Sri Lanka with their array of attritional spinners and genius top order batsmen and concluded, insanely in retrospect, that they would prove an insurmountable barrier to India fulfilling its destiny. Perhaps the skeptics can be forgiven.
After all, no one expected Sangakarra to take to the field without his two premier spinners, Herath and Mendis. What prompted the inclusion of Randiv at the last minute will remain a mystery, let alone the bizarre selection of Kulasekera and Perrera as the Lankans abandoned the tactics that had got them to the final in preference for a battery of seamers.
However, India were possibly equally generous. The sudden re-appearance of the hapless Sreesanth took everyone by surprise. After all, what does Ravichandran Ashwin have to do to get a game? If you guys don't want him I'm sure England would gladly sign him up. Certainly the pitch in Mumbai differed from the awkward surfaces that have been a feature of this tournament. Until yesterday most sides had struggled to force the pace in the closing overs and spinners found themselves press ganged into action during the power plays as the most containing options.
Source: Indiatimes
