MY VIEW: 4 Lessons I Learned From The Indian Team’s Stupendous Victory Over Pakistan In World Cup

Whether it is celebrating a colleague’s victory or coming up with new strategies, here are four lessons TBI reader Nalin Rai learnt from India’s recent cricket victory against Pakistan at the World Cup, 2015.

In a team, every cog has a vital role to play. It is like a well-oiled machinery, and if all the parts work in tandem and execute the roles assigned to them, then the desired product is always the outcome. The victory that the Indian cricket team achieved over Pakistan yesterday was a clear manifestation of the maxim. While Indians and cricket fans the world over savor the game, here are a few important lessons of life that I drew from the victory that the Indian cricket team achieved over Pakistan.

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1. One may lose the battle. But when it comes to war, strategies have to be redrawn

Photo: www.t20worldcup2016highlights.com

When the Indian cricket team arrived Down Under, it was a team on a roller coaster ride, bumbling from success to defeat to despondency. But as is wont to happen, when it comes to the crunch, the General leads from the front and unleashes his warriors in a strategic manner. And the same happened here in this match, as Ravi Shastri said in a post-match interview – “If there is one team that can take out Australia in this World Cup, it is this Indian team.” Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy was admired by all and sundry in the manner in which he led the team from the front and the way in which he effected the bowling changes to outwit the opposition.

2. Revel in the success of fellow team mates: It is not the individual but the team that matters

Photo: cricfire.com

Even before Virat Kohli could punch the air to claim success for his milestone of becoming the first batsman from India to score a century against Pakistan in a World Cup match, it was Suresh Raina who was jumping in ecstasy while completing the run for his mate Kohli, underlining the fact that the Indian team has evolved as a team which considers the success of every individual as the success of the team.

3. When nothing works, take rest, pontificate and come back with vigour to claim the space

Photo: www.t20worldcup2016highlights.com

As the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said at the post-match conference, what did work for the team was the fact that they got 10 days break from cricket and it provided everyone an opportunity to take rest, visualize, go back to the drawing board and then come out with new strategies ironing out the chinks in the armour to pave way for a new trail of success.

It was evident in the way Kohli decided to train – seeking balls from the height of more than 12 feet to cut down his susceptibility to hook the ball – and though he did score a century, Kohli did not resort to a ‘hook short’ which had emerged as a chink in his armor. In the same manner, Ashwin who came in for a thrashing by the batsmen of the opposition in some previous matches, decided to stop experimenting and bowl to his core strength, getting the desired results. As Gavaskar and Shane Warne said, the surprise weapon carried by a sportsman should always be a surprise and not a staple diet. Ashwin had started resorting to using the doosra etc., very regularly and had become predictable. Besides, he was bowling at a fast pace. He cut down the pace and became a more conventional spin bowler and then no batsman from Pakistan could stand up to him.

4. Strategies have to be evolved for each and every cog of the team to attain success

Photo: ybeside.com

Umesh Yadav, who provided the first breakthrough for India, let out an interesting strategy in the post-match interview. He informed us that the bowlers had also decided to work in partnerships so that the opposition could not target a weak link in the chain, and this way they did not allow the batsmen to dictate terms at any point of time. As it happened, while batting partnerships were getting built up, each of the bowlers was talking to another and discussing how and where to bowl.

If these strategies are followed and improved upon throughout the tournament, then indeed nobody would be able to stop India from clinching the cup!

And finally, here are the highlights of the game to enjoy it again –

-Nalin Rai

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