Indian bowlers' approach and effort commendable, says Harbhajan

Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lauded the Indian bowling unit following their impeccable performance in the do or die clash against the Proteas. Harbhajan believes it was a perfect blueprint of how not to give away cheap runs. Defending champions India, however, had to wait till their final group match to seal the semis berth. The Men in Blue, led by Virat Kohli defeated the Proteas by 8 wickets in the virtual quarter-final at The Oval in London.

Led by skipper Virat Kohli, India has the perfect blend of players and can decimate any team that comes their way. The Indian top order comprising of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni have all been run-getters for the team. The openers have been successful in registering partnerships and thus giving the middle order the freedom to unleash their willow.

The last edition (2013) saw India, under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, win the rain-hit final by 5 runs against England. The title decider was reduced to 20 overs per side. India will be aiming to do an encore of that performance.

Praising the Indian batsmen, Harbhajan wrote in his column for the ICC’s official website.

“Shikhar Dhawan just keeps getting better with every outing in this tournament. You can expect the likes of Virat Kohli to come and keep things steady right until the end, especially when the team is chasing.”

Pulling a comparison between the two captains, Kohli and AB de Villiers, Harbhajan said, “You can tell how apart they are right from the manner in which they approach games. Kohli’s intent has always been so positive. It shows when he steps onto the field. On the other hand, you just don’t see that from de Villiers. This is where Kohli beats him. The team catches on to such vibes and that’s what separates a winning team from the rest.”

The 36-year-old spinner felt that it was a game in which the desire to win mattered a lot and South Africa “simply did not turn up”.

“Its (South Africa’s) approach and intent weren’t positive and that essentially played a very crucial role in the way it lost. It needed to rise to the occasion and it just didn’t do that. At the international level, the margin for error is always minimal, and South Africa did not play the big moments well. Not only did its batting unit suffer a collective failure, but it also made silly mistakes, thereby, allowing India to control the game.

Harbhajan was also extremely disappointed to see the Proteas choke yet again. He wrote,”You don’t see three run-outs in an innings that often. Dismissing de Villiers and David Miller with their brilliant fielding, Team India enjoyed a huge boost in confidence.

“I did not expect South Africa, the world’s top-ranked ODI side team, to choke yet again. I thought it had shed the choker’s tag, but I was clearly wrong. I just don’t understand why it falls short of expectations at the global tournaments year after year.”