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

[vvvslaxman]

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.

Alternative approach is to rotate the strike, take singles. etc etc. That is also not easy. Did you see how Vina struggled to rotate strike and run rate kept mounting. He had to throw the bat around at some point. There is no real perfect way to chase a target. I understand if he has guys like Yuvraj, Raina at the other end who could hasten the proceedings. But if you are down to bunch of tailenders throwing the bat around willy nilly is not a great idea.. I don't subscribe to this entirely either. But he backs himself. He is the guy in the middle. He knows what he is doing better than us.

[vamos_rafa]

And from what I am told its not a great knock unless u finish it.

The general "Ethos" down here is "Jo dikhta hai wahi bikta hai" :winky:

[Laaloo]

It's not wise but it works for him. Let's hope it doesn't haunt us in one of the important games in the future :nervous:

[vamos_rafa]

Alternative approach is to rotate the strike' date=' take singles. etc etc. That is also not easy. Did you see how Vina struggled to rotate strike and run rate kept mounting. He had to throw the bat around at some point. There is no real perfect way to chase a target. I understand if he has guys like Yuvraj, Raina at the other end who could hasten the proceedings. But if you are down to bunch of tailenders throwing the bat around willy nilly is not a great idea.. I don't subscribe to this entirely either. But he backs himself. He is the guy in the middle. He knows what he is doing better than us.[/quote'] I fully agree with you. Infact, the kind of attitude Dhoni has displayed over the years, he would be the first own to own up if he screws up. You are right, he knows his method and he sticks to it come what may.

[vamos_rafa]

And ain't that right hmmmm :).

Depends upon your perspective.

[GautiMaan]

Hmm his way is better when we are 6-7 wickets down,and he is the only one who can take us through.What is the use of having 2-3 overs left if u are bowled out. The only time when he really bottled it is was this match. http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-new-zealand-2012/engine/match/565820.html

[Zap_Brannigan]

In yesterdays match, Yes. India did not have enough wickets left and it was a difficult wicket to bat on. Made no sense in going after the bowling when we needed 30 or 40 with over 10 overs left. He had to wait till attack was the only option on this pitch. Besides, he wasnt waiting for the last over but for the right bowler. Pressure got to eranga and it showed. If eranga bowled the 49th over instead, I am sure Dhoni would have done more in that over. In some other ODI games and almost all IPL games, no.

[vamos_rafa]

Hmm his way is better when we are 6-7 wickets down,and he is the only one who can take us through.What is the use of having 2-3 overs left if u are bowled out. The only time when he really bottled it is was this match. http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-new-zealand-2012/engine/match/565820.html

One match that I can think of which Dhoni screwed up with this approach was in the T20 WC in England in 2009. He kept on delaying the hitting and neither could Yusuf Pathan and by the time MSD opened up( the last 3 balls) it was too late and cost us a place in the proceeding round.

[maniac]

Yes....When you know that last over will be bowled by a legend like Eranga why not...Brilliant captaincy

[vvvslaxman]

It is one of those "Don't try this at home" approach. Not many batsman can pull that off with such consistency. One heart breaking last over comes to my mind 11 runs required from 6 balls 49.1 Bravo to Patel, 1 run, Fires in a yorker but it drifts on the legs, Munaf tries to dig it out, misses and gets a inside edge to the keeper and they scramble through for the vital run that brings yuvraj back onto the strike. 10 off 5 balls! What will Yuvraj Singh do?! 49.2 Bravo to Yuvraj Singh, FOUR, lucky four! Yuvraj makes room outside the leg stump and tries to hoick it across the line, gets a top edge and it flies just to left of baugh who tries his best to get a hand but .... Game on! 49.3 Bravo to Yuvraj Singh, FOUR, OMG! a crashing drive through covers for four! short of length delivery on the stumps, Yuvraj moves away from the stumps, towards the leg side and swats it over cover point for a vital four. 2 runs to win! can yuvraj maintain his cool and can Bravo do it for West Indies? 49.4 Bravo to Yuvraj Singh, OUT, That's it! Game over! West Indies have won! Bravo does it for them, He slips in a slow yorker and Yuvraj comes forward and tries to whip it through the on side, doesn't connect and the furniture is disturbed! Sensational scenes here at Sabina Park! West Indies have won! Yuvraj Singh b Bravo 93 (190m 121b 8x4 1x6) SR: 76.85

[kubrickian]

Its top class batting because tailenders werent able to score singles and also getting out regularly. Its a very tough wicket to score runs. Dhoni had no choice but to get as close to the target as possible, target one bowler and take risks at the end. It could have backfired easily but Dhoni backs himself. Only he could have won the game. :hatsoff:

[vamos_rafa]

It is one of those "Don't try this at home" approach. Not many batsman can pull that off with such consistency. One heart breaking last over comes to my mind 11 runs required from 6 balls 49.1 Bravo to Patel, 1 run, Fires in a yorker but it drifts on the legs, Munaf tries to dig it out, misses and gets a inside edge to the keeper and they scramble through for the vital run that brings yuvraj back onto the strike. 10 off 5 balls! What will Yuvraj Singh do?! 49.2 Bravo to Yuvraj Singh, FOUR, lucky four! Yuvraj makes room outside the leg stump and tries to hoick it across the line, gets a top edge and it flies just to left of baugh who tries his best to get a hand but .... Game on! 49.3 Bravo to Yuvraj Singh, FOUR, OMG! a crashing drive through covers for four! short of length delivery on the stumps, Yuvraj moves away from the stumps, towards the leg side and swats it over cover point for a vital four. 2 runs to win! can yuvraj maintain his cool and can Bravo do it for West Indies? 49.4 Bravo to Yuvraj Singh, OUT, That's it! Game over! West Indies have won! Bravo does it for them, He slips in a slow yorker and Yuvraj comes forward and tries to whip it through the on side, doesn't connect and the furniture is disturbed! Sensational scenes here at Sabina Park! West Indies have won! Yuvraj Singh b Bravo 93 (190m 121b 8x4 1x6) SR: 76.85

I remember this. It was a heartbreak of sorts. It came right after the 1st ODI after which Guru greg said that West indians have forgotten the art of winning. And they won 4 in a row :((

[Laaloo]

I hated that slower ball :((

[BeautifulGame]

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 :).

Asking the set batsman not to go for panic shots when the team needs 17 of 18 is not that unfair expectation

[BeautifulGame]

I remember this. It was a heartbreak of sorts. It came right after the 1st ODI after which Guru greg said that West indians have forgotten the art of winning. And they won 4 in a row :((

True :((. I think it also stopped our 15 or 16 match chasing streak too IIRC

[BeautifulGame]

^ See i know what u mean but that's a tad bit selective evaluation isn't it.

How?

[Number]

I used to be relaxed when MSD was there in the chase no matter how slow he is going.. After that NZ t20 he costed by this approach, I panic.

[BeautifulGame]

Isnt that the approach we used to try in 90s and 2000s till Dhoni came? Didnt we lose almost every big game, in collapses and panics with this approach of finishing the matches quickly. How many times our batsmen tried to win in a hurry once Sachin got out and collapsed like a pack of cards before Dhoni . His ability and his approach results in wins most of the time. Yep it may result in loses sometimes but the percentage of wins is unparalleled in our ODI history

[BeautifulGame]

the guys chasing 350 for you from ball 1 - that's being more specific and true. 'set batsman' = at the crease with 40/50.......60/80.......hey even 23/16 But u have to give more than that to a 175 chasing 350 surely and that to me is being selective in ur evaluation - but as i keep saying that's me hmmmm.

So a player with 175 on the crease is not set? No one is denying the 175 was a great knock.But it is normal to expect the set batsman not to panic and finish of the match particularly when u need run a ball for just 3 overs.

[BeautifulGame]

Please don't be confused - i would never in the wildest dreams categorise a 175 opening bat chasing 350 as a set batsman. I would say that its a fantastic knock and look at others to pull their weight.

Well then u are mistaken