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It was a series that was marked with controversy, but after the telecast was over, and the mediamen had left the 'Gabba, young Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh came into our dressing room to meet me. It was a touching gesture, and I told them that one of the privileges of a 'retired life' would be to watch this young India team play.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men outplayed us in every department in both the finals, and were deserving winners. We were behind them in the batting department, and that eventually cost us the final triseries to be played in Australia. It was very disappointing to not end my career on a winning note. However, by the end of the series I was emotionally drained by the farewells at various venues, and the sadness was tinged with some relief that it was all over.
Youth drive
Dhoni had to spend many days explaining the absence of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid from his side. He had reasoned that he wanted a group of young players to have at least 100 ODIs behind them by World Cup 2011. It was sound logic, and this win would have fast-tracked India's youth drive.
What has struck me about this team is that it's a united bunch that genuinely seems to enjoy each other's success. Looking from the outside, the team looked like a tightly-knit bunch who were firmly behind their leader, and that is what characterised this team and their success.
The youngsters repaid the captain's faith by coming up with the goods when it mattered most. Praveen Kumar looked innocuous, but his bowling has subtle changes in pace that make him dangerous. Moreover, the ball was keeping low in the evening, so his accuracy ensured that if the batsmen missed he would hit. He is a very self-possessed youngster, and did not lose his nerve on the big stage, and has been really impressive by way of temperament.
This is a young uninhibited side that is not afraid of showing their exuberance on the field but have the temperament to remain calm in tough situations. Dhoni has always been good at absorbing pressure, the youngsters now seem to be following in his footsteps.
The other 'youngster' who was outstanding was Sachin Tendulkar. It has often been said that he does not score in the finals. It was our misfortune that he decided to set the record straight on this occasion.
- Gameplan
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