World T20, India vs West Indies: Lt Col Dhoni has done the right thing by sticking to his troops

MS Dhoni’s party is not over. And he is a lucky General with skill to boot. He goes into the semi-final battle tonight against the West Indies drenched with the public’s advice and suggestions on whom to play in this crucial match. Buoyed by a gust of good fortune and a slice of personal last-ball savvy in the tie against Bangladesh and a surprisingly facile win over the Aussies, Dhoni has stuck to the ‘go’ team. [caption id=“attachment_2705556” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  India skipper MS Dhoni. Solaris Images[/caption] Of course, if the Windies blow India away there will be a cruel fall from grace considering the fickle nature of the billion odd cricket lovers, all of whom are experts. When India lost to the Black Caps, armchair mandarins were howling for blood. The Bangladesh ‘win’ was just a run away from a lynch mob that would have demanded heads on a stick. The party pundits were sharpening their long knives. So, even if the selection committee has kept its ‘head’ and done the right thing the fans are quite another kettle. Win tonight and all will be wonderful. Lose and especially because the frontline continues to show  a broken wing and there will be more opinions than hats at Ascot. You can almost hear the wails over dinner tonight if it does not pan out.  Screams of derision that he did not take Ajinkya Rahane. What do Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina do except appear only to disappear? Even Rohit Sharma looks disinterested. Time for new blood. Whaaat, we couldn’t win in your own back yard. Shudder to imagine what a dose Ashish Nehra will get if he is gayle-d. And every Hardik Pandya  no-ball will produce a quadrophonic groan. Sensibly, Dhoni knows that the composite picture is more important than its pieces. To fragment a team that is peaking at just the right time is foolish. Translated into morale that collective factor becomes vital. Take Yuvraj who is injured and the only one out. You may think, phew, thank goodness.  We might regret that injury. He gets that crucial wicket, he stays for his painfully fought 20 odd runs and has served as the perfect foil for the brilliant Virat Kohli in back to back innings. Without the visually unspectacular Yuvraj effect India may have been out of the tournament… He was a bit of a mascot and a rallying point. Like if Yuvi can do it so can I. Even if we make it to the finals, stay with  same gang. These guys have enjoyed each other’s company on and off the field where even the banter on the bus and the wisecracks have been a bonding factor. Even the two openers, Rohit and Dhawan, who have had poor runs bring something to the table. Dhawan takes his catches and Rohit sprays confidence over the team even when he is not playing well. Raina pushes the chariot with his slip catches and just adds a little zest to the team spirit, gingers them up as does Ravindra Jadeja with his humour and his ‘hey this is no big deal how come he got two wickets’ bowling capability. Nehra plays ‘mother’ and pours encouragement without saying when. These guys have one thing in common. They are pumped and primed for a big score and a good showing and this evening could be the moment. It has been said, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is where the Dhoni smarts has come into play. Anyone who has ever worn a uniform will tell you that the espirit de corps is as vital as a bullet in the gun when you face the adversary. Dhoni, being an honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, understands that aspect. Keep the boys together and get out there tonight and play for the team. Odds are unless it is a complete mess up, it should be a walk in the park. Just carry your rabbit’s foot and the boys will carry themselves, skipper.