Is it wise to take matches to the last over finish so many times?

[fineleg]

Yes MSD did it, and hats off. But - if we can let go of the euphoria for a minute - Is it wise to take matches to the last over finish so many times? (for matches where the target is not a high target - even considering playing conditions) Is there a reason for MSD taking it so close in many matches that we have witnessed? Something that we spectators are not able to "get it"? Maybe it is a strategy. Maybe its not. It has worked in many instances so hats off.

[namasteji1]

Are u Gambhir? :hmmm:

[Yoda-esque]

Its working for him and we are winning.

[bulbul]

May be he can't finish it early, End of day team wins he will be praised , team lose he will be bashed. [Except for CSK , where he is god :winky:]

[G_B_]

the thing i dont get with teams when bowling to or handling dhoni is; why dont they keep their best bowler for the last over considering MSD makes his move in that over? Will be interesting to see how many times in his limited overs career has he (A) Won the match for India scoring more than 8 runs in the over (B) How many times he has failed.

[Sidhoni]

Though he does like to take the over to the final stages, yesterday it wasn't entirely by choice. He was batting with the tail : Bhuvi scored 0(15), Vinay scored 5(16) and Ishant 2(7) I think the reason why he usually likes to take it to later stages is that he backs himself and has enormous self-belief. He knows he can handle the pressure 10X better than the bowler.

[Sachin=GOD]

http://www.theunrealtimes.com/2013/07/07/in-pictures-ms-dhoni-turns-32/ :phehehe: Dhoni ki aadat ho gayi hai match ko last tak lejaane ki - its good while we win but someday this will cost him (and the team) really big. I mean yesterday's match should have been finished at least 4-5 overs earlier but ended up going to the last over. He did great in the last over but IMO the match should never have gone to the last over.

[SLICKR392]

He made the game against Aussies in the '12 CB series a big deal but he had to be very calculative during this chase. He wasn't in great form & injured. 1-2 wickets in hand and batting with the tail. He should have been very cautious on this one.

[saneindian]

What is better? Taking it to the last over and winning or going for glory and losing? Raina went for glory and it nearly cost us the match Is there any evidence to suggest this approach of Dhoni doesn't work like number of times we lost matches due to this approach vs number of time we won? Also in exactly how many matches has Dhoni taken it to the last over? CB series last year vs SL and this one are the only two examples that come to mind.

[vvvslaxman]

Wise or not.. probably his testosterone level increases 10 times in the last over lol. He likes to get as close as possible and tee off. More often than not it works for him be it is India or CSK. 1Remember 19 in 3 was all required during epic 175 of Tendulkar. Tendulkar 175 not out, Jadeja 23 not out in 16 balls. That was easy paced wicket. Over here Dhoni played with tail 19 in 3 required just 2 wickets in hand on a difficult surface. Why couldn't they finish earlier there? Tendulkar took a risk much earlier and triggered a collapse. Goes both ways. i remember Pakistan bungling up when they needed 20 runs in 5 overs with 5 wickets in hands against SA. Even the very best wilt under pressure. Batsmen get all confused and do stupid things. With Dhoni he has this simple mantra which he follows to T. Take as close as, as long as possible before breaking free. Works for him better than the formulaic approach of "singles will do". As it turns out even to take singles and rotate strike you need a bit of skill.

[Sachin=GOD]

Though he does like to take the over to the final stages, yesterday it wasn't entirely by choice. He was batting with the tail : Bhuvi scored 0(15), Vinay scored 5(16) and Ishant 2(7) I think the reason why he usually likes to take it to later stages is that he backs himself and has enormous self-belief. He knows he can handle the pressure 10X better than the bowler.

thats great. His believes in himself to finish the match - bahut achchi baat hai. But one stunning catch or one great delivery or a bad umpiring call or a misjudged single etc can dramatically change the match suddenly and with tailenders around, one such mistake is enough to give the match to the opposition so IMO teams should always look to finish a match as soon as they can. You won't get any extra points (except of course more popularity) by taking it to the last over.

[saneindian]

http://www.theunrealtimes.com/2013/07/07/in-pictures-ms-dhoni-turns-32/ :phehehe: Dhoni ki aadat ho gayi hai match ko last tak lejaane ki - its good while we win but someday this will cost him (and the team) really big. I mean yesterday's match should have been finished at least 4-5 overs earlier but ended up going to the last over. He did great in the last over but IMO the match should never have gone to the last over.

We have lost matches where 17-18 runs where needed and our last 4 wickets couldn't finish it. You think adding nearly 50 runs with Bhuvi, Ishant and Vinay is an easy chase that too in a final? Did you count the number of time any of them and Dhoni could have got out. Raina tried to finish it early, see the hole that put us into. I too lost my mind watching it live but later on watching it again today realized how tough it was.

[Sidhoni]

thats great. His believes in himself to finish the match - bahut achchi baat hai. But one stunning catch or one great delivery or a bad umpiring call or a misjudged single etc can dramatically change the match suddenly and with tailenders around' date= one such mistake is enough to give the match to the opposition so IMO teams should always look to finish a match as soon as they can. You won't get any extra points (except of course more popularity) by taking it to the last over.

Those things, which are out of Dhoni's control, can happen at anytime. Probably he doesn't want to take any risk earlier because he knows if he gets out the team will be in trouble. He has been successful more often than not with this way and has done it time and again. No reason for him to change this style suddenly.

[saneindian]

In CT England needed 20 to win off 16 balls with 6 wickets in hand. Lost the match. Maybe chases (that too in the final) look easy but are much tougher

[Yoda-esque]

The idea is to get as close to the target as possible and keep your wickets in hand without doing anything foolish.

[vvvslaxman]

Yes tendulkar had already made 175 and if you want him to take all the pressure on himself of seeing the team to 350 all by himself from start to finish that's stretching it but that's how high the expectations are with the man. And now that we are stretching it a bit would have been very interesting to see dhonis calculation with mcgrath gillespie lee and warne the last 10 overs - calculate calculate and lose by 50 u think? know m being crabby but once a whiles a pardon :).

YOu sound like others failed totally. Jadeja was 23 in 16 balls.

[vvvslaxman]

The idea is to get as close to the target as possible and keep your wickets in hand without doing anything foolish.

Difference between Dhoni and most of the guys is all he needs is a non striker lol.. He can do all by himself. Richards, Jayasuriya are couple of names that come to my minds. Fantastic cricketing sense and self belief this man has.

[vamos_rafa]

I know he backs himself. And he has been highly succesful as well. But, thing is, he is still in his prime so can afford this and it works. But, as Sachin_God says, this may cost as well.

[Yoda-esque]

Difference between Dhoni and most of the guys is all he needs is a non striker lol.. He can do all by himself. Richards' date=' Jayasuriya are couple of names that come to my minds. Fantastic cricketing sense and self belief this man has.[/quote'] Takes tremendous self belief to back yourself everytime.He has got it down to an art.

[vvvslaxman]

Yes not all that great was he in that knock.

Great knock not Great finish.