#IndvsAus: Yuvraj is indispensable. Twitter thinks so too
What a victory for the Men in Blue!
The mighty Australians suffering a whitewash in their own backyard is not too common. But that's exactly what happened at the haloed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Sunday, as Dhoni's boys overhauled a massive target of 198. A fantastic match, indeed a superb series, played with tremendous intensity. It was as top class as it gets.
Australia scored a massive 197/5, on the back of an imperious 71-ball 124 by Shane Watson. India replied with 200/3.
However, even considering the enormity the Team Dhoni's victory against Australia, I am just a bit tempted to put the spotlight more on the two men who were steadily being pushed to the wilderness by our cricket establishment - Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina. The two flamboyant southpaws came good when they simply had to, keeping their cool in that all-important last over, when they had to score 17 runs to win.
Yuvraj, has had to face as many brickbats for his painfully slow innings in the World T20 final against Sri Lanka in 2014, as he was showered with bouquets for his role in India's ODI World Cup win 2011. Many thought he was not the same player after his battle with cancer. There was perhaps reason to believe that we would never ever be able to see the Yuvraj who hit England's Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes in the inaugural World T20 in 2007. Yuvraj, most of us thought, was over.
But the man himself had other ideas. When he was finding it difficult initially to get the Aussie bowlers away on Sunday, there were murmurs that he was turning out to a liability for the team. And then... Boom! A fine pick-up for a boundary, followed by a big six. Yuvraj Singh was back and how.
It was the last over, and India was still some distance from a win. And it was Suresh Raina's turn to come to the party now, and he ensured that victory was India's.
Such a poetic justice for the two men who were left out of the ODI team, and we could only speculate what it would have been in the ODI series had they been allowed to play a part. India may not have suffered the ignominy of a 1-4 rout. But let's keep that argument for another day.
It is a day to rejoice. The future looks bright for this Indian T20 team. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in scorching form, and Jaspreet Bumrah looks really good. World T20, here we come.
Here's how India's triumph was celebrated on Twitter:
Fantastic clean sweep! Well done and a thrilling finish... Enjoy the win boys #IndvsAus
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 31, 2016T 2131 - IND beat AUS in T20/ 3-0 .. aur abhi toh aadhi team kheli hi nahin hai !!!BAAAADUUUMMMBAAAAAA !! YEEEAAAH !! COME ON INDIA !!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) January 31, 2016T 2131 - DHO DALA ! DHO DALA ! AUSTRALIA KO DHO DALA .. whitewash !! YEAAH team India .. and Suresh Raina YOU DID IT !!! Congratulations !!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) January 31, 2016The value of Suresh Raina to India's T20 team can never be overstated...TOP player. One of the best in the world. #AUSvIND
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 31, 2016And India becomes World Number 1 in T20 #ICC Rankings...now, the real prize in April--World T20.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 31, 2016India is really close to knowing its best T20 XI...Australia, on the other hand, couldn't be further away after these three games!
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 31, 2016Boy, that was such a thin line there for Yuvi between becoming a Hero or a villain. #AUSvIND
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 31, 2016Congratulations Team india @bcci becomes no.1 in @icc T20 ranking!!@msdhoni @imVkohli #IndvsAus pic.twitter.com/YpyrB7EyWh
— KingAjith_OnlineNews (@iam_K_A) January 31, 2016Loved Suresh Raina's keenness to be on strike in the closing stages. Superb match winning innings. #AUSvIND
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 31, 2016Latest picture of @ImRaina @YUVSTRONG12 and @imVkohli after winning the series ????? pic.twitter.com/N9Xs0VPYvT
— ?SK Raina Fanatics? (@Fc_ImRaina) January 31, 2016The Winning MOMENT -- @YUVSTRONG12 Celebrates India's WIN #IndvsAus pic.twitter.com/ofzonXZpY0
— Cricmates (@Cricmates) January 31, 2016.@YUVSTRONG12 & @ImRaina teleported me to 2011 World Cup QF vs Aus. It was an emotional moment to see Yuvraj finish it off for India again.
— Shirin Sadikot (@ShirinSadikot) January 31, 2016What a run chase by India @YUVSTRONG12 & @ImRaina stay calm under pressure, well done
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) January 31, 2016Lesson for trolls. Without understanding d game, u criticised Yuvi in 140 characters but @YUVSTRONG12 showd how to play against all odds.
— bhavatosh singh (@bhavatoshsingh) January 31, 2016Delicious chase. Top 3 set up with perfect appetisers. @ImRaina rustled up the main course. And @YUVSTRONG12 the perfect dessert #AUSvIND
— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) January 31, 2016