Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Team India made a smashing comeback to win a one-day series in England after 24 years.
The team also regained the world number one ranking in the ODI format. Satisfying as the performances were in the wake of the debacle in the Tests, which India lost 3-1 after winning at Lord’s and going one up in the series, the dangers of complacency were stressed in the defeat in the last ODI by when India had wrapped up the series and may have been unmotivated.
Indian cricketers, all of whom have been made millionaires by the IPL, are far happier playing with the white ball as overs-specific cricket seems right up their alley, suiting not only their technique but also their temperament, shaped in the modern mould of the grassroots game leaning towards the limited-overs category.
The need to take 20 wickets in five days after scoring runs is a task that seems beyond India, save in conditions tweaked in favour of the spinners on designer pitches made by tampering with the preparation at home.
It is crystal clear that Dhoni is unsuited to captaining the Test team. While his authority is not to be eroded just months short of the defence of the World Cup title by switching to the dual, or even triple, mode now, he would have to take a major call on his Test career soon.
He must leave it to GenNext to reshape their Test priorities and work towards finding the ability and approach to do well in the longer format because those very skills will help them become far better limited-overs players. He cannot attempt this task.
