Two World Cups, two defeats: The many similarities between 2003 and 2015

By Dileep Premachandran Back in 2003, India’s World Cup campaign consisted of eight straight wins bookended by crushing defeats to Australia, one of them in the final at The Wanderers. Almost exactly 12 years on, India’s hitherto blemish-free tournament came to a juddering halt against the men in gold and green. This time, they were a step away from the summit. [caption id=“attachment_2176235” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  MS Dhoni walks from the field after he was run out for 65 runs while batting against Australia. Getty[/caption] The parallels are many. In both tournaments, the Indian three-man pace attack was superb. In 2003, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra were exceptional during the unbeaten streak, before Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn dismantled them in the final. The 27 wicketless overs that they bowled went for 211 runs. India circa 2015 had been even more impressive, bowling out the opposition seven straight times before the semifinal. On the big day, however, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma went for 215 in 29 overs. Yadav took four wickets, three of them with short-pitched deliveries, but went at eight an over in an inconsistent display. Mohit took two, but also failed to match the parsimony of earlier games. The pacers’ woes meant that a marvelous spell from R Ashwin went unrewarded. The fightback that produced 3 for 16 in 29 deliveries couldn’t be sustained, and the 29 leaked in the final two overs meant that the target was closer to seven an over than six. With the bat, the biggest similarity lay in the dismissal of the team’s most dominant batsman. Sachin Tendulkar ended that World Cup as its leading run-scorer, but made only four in the final before miscuing a pull off Glenn McGrath. On Thursday (March 26), Virat Kohli came out with India having made an excellent start. Of his 22 One-Day International centuries, 13 had come in successful run chases. Three of those had been against Australia. He made just one before looking to hook a Mitchell Johnson delivery that rose sharply. The top edge went only as far as Brad Haddin. Kohli was so distraught that he dropped his gloves on the trek back to the pavilion. In 2003, Sehwag top scored with 82, while Dravid made 47 in an innings where he struggled to find the ropes. This time, Dhoni led the way with 65, and Rahane struggled to 44. Shikhar Dhawan’s opening salvo of 45 was almost forgotten by the time Mitchell Starc shattered Yadav’s stumps. What hadn’t changed at all in 12 years was the intensity with which Australia approached the task on hand. Then, it was Ponting’s 140 and a 234-run stand with Martyn that pushed India to the wall. Here, Smith’s fluent and stroke-filled 105 led the way, with Aaron Finch’s uncharacteristically subdued 81 the supporting act. Johnson, Josh Hazlewood, Starc and James Faulkner, who overcame a horror start to finish with 3 for 59, then replicated what McGrath, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds and Andy Bichel had done more than a decade earlier. The eventual total, 233, was a run less than India had managed in Johannesburg. On both occasions, the better team, aided by the toss of the coin, won comfortably. Then, as now, Australia batted deeper, and had the X-factor in their bowling attack. As good as Srinath, Zaheer and Nehra were in that competition, they wouldn’t be candidates for an all-time ODI XI. Both McGrath and Lee would be. Ponting’s men were also better in the field, with Darren Lehmann’s run out of Sehwag ending India’s chances. In this semifinal, both Smith and Glenn Maxwell scored direct hits. By then, India’s campaign had already run out of steam. Dhoni’s brisk strides away from the middle after being caught short had a valedictory feel to them. All said and done, 2003 was a tournament to cherish for India. Despite what happened in Sydney, 2015 should be too. Given little chance after a barren Australian summer, the team did little wrong till it came up against opponents who are now favourites to lift the trophy. There is absolutely no shame in that. This article was first published in WisdenIndia.