There is no I in TEAM

Hi All,

Last night's ODI match against Australia was just electrifying to say the least. We saw fortunes fluctuate within a span of few overs which again reminded us that the ODI format of the game can entertain us just as equally as the slam - bam T20. (I am digressing here.) It was a run feast for the spectators and they lapped it up in typical Indian style; by drowning out the stadium with their sonorous chanting.

We also witnessed the master blaster Sachin in one of his best displays of batting prowess and genius. The end result was disappointing nevertheless but there are lessons to be carried away from this outing.

The most prominent lesson we can learn is that there is no 'I' in team. A team needs each and every member to fire on all cylinders. Yesterday Sachin was in his elements, scoring boundaries at will and running sensibly between the wickets. But it takes 2 hands to clap and likewise it takes a team effort to overcome a humongous total of 350. While Sachin was making every possible effort to take India to the finish line, his own compatriots were sabotaging him in every way possible. The famed Indian top order collapsed like a flimsy cardboard structure. Wicket after wicket fell and we were almost half down before Sachin could find a reliable partner in Raina. So it's clear, even a great like Sachin can't win matches single handedly. We need the whole team to give their best.

Another take away for the Indian team....Temperament is important in crunch scenarios like the one yesterday. The nerves started showing when Raina got out. Jadeja was trying to scamper across for every delivery when there was clearly no run in it. It came as no surprise that he was run out, mostly due to his own undoing. As if we have had not enough of run outs, the nerves showed up at the fag end of the match with an unnecessary 2nd run which eventually led to India's demise. The match was still winnable even with just one wicket in hand but lack of temperament did us in.

Alas, the jinx still stands....whenever Sachin gets a ton India tends to lose...:(

P.S. It took a couple of hours for me to digest India's loss yesterday esp. after seeing such a magnificent batting display. This post is dedicated to the world's best batsman, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar