India eyeing a treble by Rohit Sakunia

---

Player:	Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni
Event:	Australia in India 2009/10

---

DateLine: 2nd November 2009

 

The Indian team would be eyeing their third consecutive triumph to extend their lead against Australia in the fourth ODI in Mohali today.

 

Team India has thus far shown that they are a team ready for any challenge under all circumstances. It was this determination that took the team home in the last ODI in Delhi on a pitch no better than a dust-bowl.

 

MS Dhoni's men have so far been consistent and though it started of with a loss in the first ODI, even that win was too close to comfort for the visitors. Since then, only one team has looked good to win and Australia's uncharacteristic defensive approach has not helped them any bit as well.

 

Comeback from injury for middle-order swashbuckling left-hander Yuvraj Singh has been extremely pleasing for a team which clearly missed him in the Champions Trophy. With the sort of innings Yuvi played in Delhi, he must have silenced most critics who have raised questions about his abilities to face spinners on tracks like that of Ferozeshah Kotla.

 

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, on his part, has shown a mature head on his shoulders. His presence on the ground does not look flamboyant but the end result has been disastrous for the visitors.

 

The Indian team has looked good in the all the departments and there is a visible improvement in the bowling and fielding of the side, two areas which off late had become a major concern for the team management.

 

The seamers Ashish Nehra, Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar have all been among wickets and have bowled with a decent rythm. In the spin department, Harbhajan Singh looked to have got back into his elements in the last ODI and Ravindra Jadeja has looked good with his little tweakers.

 

There are records as well in the making as Sachin Tendulkar is just 47 runs away from his 17,000th ODI run and the batting great would love to finish formalities here, considering he has a decent record on the ground and the conditions at Mohali would not seem to deter his mindset even a tad bit.

 

On the other hand, the Aussies are struggling on most fronts. The batting is too much dependent on the top three and the bowling looks jaded, inexperienced and uninspiring.

 

Injuries have not helped either as an in-form Brett Lee had to rush back after the first ODI and now Tim Paine and James Hopes have also been ruled out from further participation in the tournament. With vice-captain Michael Clarke's absence from the series, these sudden spate of injuries have done a world of bad for the visitors.

 

It was the feeble middle-order which forced the Australia captain Ricky Ponting to open in Delhi and the unusual defensive play by him and Shane Watson first up cleared every doubts of their apprehension about their middle order.

 

Apart from Mike Hussey none in the middle-order look experienced for a challenge like this. Shaun Marsh could have come handy at the top of the order but the Aussie management it seems are preferring an all-rounder instead of the left-handed Marsh.