Dhoni has come in for some fierce critcism over his tactics at Lord's
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the India captain, bore the brunt of fan and media anger back home after the defending champions were unceremoniously dumped out of the World Twenty20 on Sunday.
Security was increased around Dhoni's home in the eastern city of Ranchi on Monday after scores of fans burnt his effigy, shouted slogans and accused the captain of underestimating England in a must-win situation.
India, winners two years ago, were installed as one of the favourites this time but a three-run loss to England consigned them to a second straight Super Eights defeat, leaving them with no chance of reaching the semi-finals.
"Dhoni took the match lightly, he adopted a casual attitude," Arun Kumar, a young protester in Ranchi, said. "He is fascinated by the glamour world more than cricket."
The Indian media also singled out Dhoni who captained the team to victory in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007. Dhoni was blamed for shuffling the order and failing to shake off his own subdued batting form when a captain's innings was badly needed.
His promotion of young all-rounder Ravinder Jadeja to No 4 in the batting line-up instead of the explosive Yuvraj Singh was also seen as a tactical disaster after the 20-year-old failed to force the pace and left his team-mates with too much to do in the final overs.
"Why did Dhoni throw Jadeja to the lions," asked one TV channel, while another said: "He [Dhoni] could not tonk the ball, got it all wrong with his strategy. Horrible captaining by Dhoni cost us dear."
Dhoni has enjoyed a smooth ride as Test captain since the 2007 triumph but has come under scrutiny at this tournament after parading the entire team in an attempt to quash media reports of disharmony between him and deputy Virender Sehwag.
His relationship with the media worsened after Sehwag was ruled out due to a shoulder injury and Dhoni and his team management were attacked for being less than forthcoming over the nature of the explosive batsman's problem.
Cricket-mad Indian fans are well known for displaying extreme emotions. Angry fans threw stones the homes of some players after the team suffered a shock first round exit in the one-day World Cup two years ago.
However, thousands lined up on both sides of the road from Mumbai airport to the stadium when the victorious Twenty20 team took out a victory parade months later.
Yusuf struck a one-handed six off the fourth but could get no more than a single from the fifth. India needed eight off the final ball. Despite a leg-side heave to the boundary by Dhoni, it was England which celebrated.
Not much went right for India. The young Ravindra Jadeja (25 off 35), unwisely sent at No. 4, struggled to force the pace while India’s prime batsman in this format, Yuvraj Singh, watched the proceedings from the dugout.
Yuvraj’s mistake
Finally, walking into the cauldron in the 11th over, the in-form Yuvraj dismissed the first delivery he faced, from Dimitri Mascerenhas, over the long-on fence.
He soon lofted Swann, with a lovely swing of the willow, down the ground for the maximum. With the asking rate hovering around ten, Yuvraj had to go for broke.
Swann drew the left-hander forward with flight and spin — Yuvraj overbalanced as he stretched — and ’keeper James Foster removed the bails in a flash. The writing was on the wall for India in the 14th over.
Steamy bowling
Earlier, the English pacemen made the Indian batsmen smell leather with some steamy short-pitched bowling.
Rohit Sharma played on attempting a pull off a delivery not quite short for the stroke. Earlier in the over, Sidebottom had got a delivery to climb sharply from just outside the off-stump to set up the dismissal.
Suresh Raina did not appear comfortable. He played and missed as the lively Sidebottom switched his line to the left-hander.
Raina’s attempted hook off a well-directed short ball from Sidebottom was splendidly held by Luke Wright running in from deep square-leg. India lost ground in the Power Play overs.
Broad hit the deck hard and extracted lift. It was an evening when England executed its plans well.
Even Luke Wright was bouncing the ball at the Indian batsmen.
And when Mascarenhas took the pace off the ball, on the leg-stump, the free-stroking Gambhir’s (26 off 26 balls) attempted glide was held by a specifically stationed short-fine leg.
By now the innings had entered the 11th over and the score was only 63.
India, having a mountain to climb, slipped. England was a deserving winner.
SCOREBOARD
England: R. Bopara b Jadeja 37 (37b, 3x4, 1x6), L. Wright c Yusuf b R.P. Singh 1 (7b), K. Pietersen lbw b Jadeja 46 (27b, 5x4, 1x6), D. Mascarenhas (not out) 25 (27b, 2x4), O. Shah c Jadeja b Harbhajan 12 (10b, 1x4), P. Collingwood lbw b Zaheer 7 (5b, 1x4), J. Foster c & b Harbhajan 6 (5b), G. Swann b Harbhajan 0 (1b), S. Broad (not out) 3 (1b); Extras (lb-2, w-14) 16. Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 153.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-74, 3-92, 4-122, 5-138, 6-145, 7-145.
India bowling: Zaheer 3-0-26-1, R.P. Singh 3-0-13-1, Ishant 4-0-36-0, Yuvraj 2-0-20-0, Harbhajan 4-0-30-3, Jadeja 4-0-26-2.
India: G. Gambhir c Broad b Mascarenhas 26 (26b, 4x4), R. Sharma b Sidebottom 9 (8b, 1x4), S. Raina c Wright b Sidebottom 2 (5b), R. Jadeja c Broad b Swann 25 (35b, 1x4), Yuvraj st. Foster b Swann 17 (9b, 2x6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 30 (20b, 3x4), Yusuf Pathan (not out) 33 (17b, 1x4, 2x6); Extras (lb-4, w-4) 8; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs) 150.
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-24, 3-62, 4-85, 5-87.
England bowling: Anderson 4-0-32-0, Sidebottom 4-0-31-2, Broad 4-0-21-0, Pietersen 1-0-9-0, Wright 2-0-16-0, Swann 4-0-28-2, Mascarenhas 1-0-9-1.
(Christopher Lee) Times Now U.K
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