It was mid-November but the air felt bitter cold that night, freezing my insides for a brief moment. I couldn't point my finger as to where it had gone wrong. Not that I could have done anything about it. Eight hours of tireless support and the agony it left as an aftertaste had sucked the energy out of me. But who was I to lose my sleep over it? A mere spectator- a serious one though, someone who thought about the sport and its nuances much. I decided to pen down all that I felt once the pain began to subside and it all began to sink in right from the warm-ups to the big day.
We had played top-quality cricket the whole tournament, bulldozing the opponents at sheer will. It was a display of skill and mental strength that had got us here- in the finals of the World Cup and unbeaten. It was more the nature of these victories that every spectator drew confidence from. We had been in the finals and beaten Sri Lanka in 2011, but this time it felt different. No, it was not the quality of players, the new and shiny stadiums, or the pride of hosting the tournament again. It was the mindset of the eleven who took the field- determined each time to surprise every person associated with the game in any capacity. It was an effort, practice and most of all desperation to outdo your potential on the cricket field.
Rohit Sharma getting us off the blocks and running, in a blazing fashion- that too in serious style. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul had been poetic in their own sense, standing up tall to any attack maneuvering those singles and doubles. Kohli in many ways steered the batting ship for India, and others like Shreyas and Shubman flourished around him. It was the calm and finesse of those elegant cover drives, succulent backfoot punches, paired with fearless stroke making that made the best in business look meek.
India has always had class and style in their batting lineup for decades, but what we really enjoyed was the pacers rattling the stumps, and beating the batsmen all ends up- on a regular basis. The best part was them bowling in tandem. Fast bowlers bowling in partnerships, outfoxing the elite class of batsmen was a sight to behold. Bumrah and Siraj- the opening pair for the most part proved to be too hot to handle for many top and middle-order batsmen. Impeccable lengths, consistent lines, fierce pace on the ball which often zoomed past the bat leaving the batsmen clueless. It was sheer joy. When one of these two were done, it was Shami. And did he leave any stone unturned to make life further troubled on the crease? Don't think so. Stats would probably demean the heart and soul our bowlers put in- for each delivery that was released.
Spinners were to come into play, given the conditions in the sub continent and India has seldom disappointed with its spin bowling department. Kuldeep and Jadeja met the expectations of every Indian watching the game, and mind you, our expectations of the team were as always a wee bit higher than any other cricket fan around the world. Sharp turn at times, or the ball skidding through getting a faint edge and caught by the keeper. The batsman completely missing the ball and endless appeals for LBW, there was not a dismissal that felt left out during the forty-eight matches that were played.
Comparisons happened as they always do and some of the greats compared the campaign to that of Australia in 2003 and 2007- both of them signifying dominance of the highest level. Australia won both those world cups undefeated! It was an era of supremacy for Aussies then for sure. But for a nation like India, where each heart pounds with every delivery that is bowled in the match, the saying 'cricket is a religion' went all the way through the tournament. Each wicket celebrated, even dot balls cheered when the situation was tight- the Indian team left us all smiles for about a month and a half. Diwali celebrations throughout the nation felt meagre when compared to the World Cup.
No record can stay as it is forever. This held true in this edition as well, with many records tumbling. The most sought-after being the 50th ODI hundred for Kohli which came in a winning cause- and I believe that was what made it special for everyone who witnessed the spectacle- live or from the comfort of your home- like I did.
All said and done, it wasn't our day perhaps and one needs to give credit where it's due. Aussies played brilliantly themselves for the major part of the tournament and deserved the championship as much as we did. The man behind the squad- Rahul Dravid, felt the heartbreak for the second time- after 2003, but that doesn't diminish what he has been able to accomplish with the team during his tenure as the head coach, from anyone's perspective- may it be someone on the sidelines or anyone who was part of the squad. The question though that lingers on is- was this the best Indian outfit we would see in a long time? I guess it was, just for the reason... the way we approached the game and utilized our skills. On the field, you require a steady head to make it happen, and I dare say each individual of the eleven playing had it sorted out in their head. Proper roles defined, attacking captaincy and each strategy well executed- until the final, that is. But that doesn't take away what this Indian team succeeded in achieving- giving 1.4 billion people a World Cup campaign to remember for a long time! The cup meant the world for them- and with that sort of an attitude, every Indian should believe that we did win the World Cup- not statistically but we did it in here- in our hearts.