Wow, what a moment! Who would have dreamt of this victory? A young team under a young captain won a tournament in which the pundits had written us off. Without the seniors, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Gangly, the result was against all expectations.

India beat the biggest teams in international cricket, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan (twice) and England. The team batted like lions, bowled like tigers and fielded like leopards. In a tournament which was supposed to give nothing but trouble to bowlers, the opposition never got on top of our attack, and don't forget we did not have Zaheer Khan. Young bowlers like RP Singh and Irfan Pathan were superb.

It’s time for some blunt talking for those Indians who say cricket gets too much kudos in our country. Would somebody remind me the last time we won a gold at the Olympics? Cricket is the game which gives this sports-hungry nation of a billion people a reason to celebrate, to come out of their houses with the Indian flag held proudly. To say that we don't celebrate hockey is foolish. But for other sports to surpass cricket in India, they have to prove their mettle and win international tournaments.

'It’s time for some blunt talking for those Indians who say cricket gets too much kudos in our country'

This win celebrates youth, Yuvraj Singh hitting six sixes in an over, Robin Uthappa, who can come in at any situation and make his mark, Rohit Sharma, not intimidated by the opposition even on debut, Pathan, once the blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket who came back the hard way after being sent home in the middle of a tour. And a special mention to Gautam Gambhir whose quiet but effective contribution laid the foundations for Yuvraj’s theroics.

Age is on their side as it is for the captain who led from the front. MS Dhoni could be the next Kapil Dev, a leader of men, not only a captain on the park. His appointment as ODI skipper is probably the only good decision the BCCI has taken in the last two years. The good days in Indian cricket are here to stay.
Chak Diya India, Jai Hind.

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