Former cricketers salute Dhoni’s World Cup champion team

By Suhrid Barua

India’s moment of glory at the Wankhede has sent the cricket-crazy nation into frenzy. Mahendra Singh Dhoni led from the front to replicate what Kapil Dev’s men did at Lord’s, 28 years ago. And what made the World Cup triumph all the more sweet was that the epochal win happened on home turf.

Former Indian cricketers hailed Indian cricket’s greatest moment after the 1983 World Cup romp. Some of them spoke to CricketCountry.com:

Madan Lal, member of the victorious 1983 World Cup winning team, felt that the team played exceedingly well and deserve to be the World Champions.

“It’s never easy to maintain your consistency and focus in a tournament which is spread over 45 days. Hats off to them. Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn’t get high scores in the run-up to the final, but he showed on Saturday what delivering the goods when the team needs most.”

The former all-rounder said that Dhoni did a fabulous job of covering up the weak point in India’s bowling – the absence of a fifth frontline bowler. “Yuvraj Singh bowled really well throughout the World Cup and enabled us to cover up the inadequacy of not having a regular fifth bowler. Remember one thing; he got crucial wickets and not just wickets of tailenders.”

Sunil Valson, another member of the triumphant 1983 World Cup team, said the win was a top-of-the-world feeling for every Indian and not just the players.

“We lost two early wickets, but the way Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli batted showed the kind of depth and talent the Indian team have before Dhoni provided the killer punch. Of course, winning it at home made it even sweeter.”

Valson, who is famously remembered for not playing a single game at the 1983 World Cup, said all the criticism of Dhoni when he was not getting runs, prior to the World Cup final, was unfair. “If you look at his performance for last two to three years, you would see that he done well for himself and for the team. Full marks to him for the manner in which he shepherded his team to World Cup glory.”

Maninder Singh, India left-arm spinner and member of the 1987 World Cup team, was on cloud nine when speaking to cricketcountry.

“I was not part of the 1983 World Cup winning team and neither I’m part of the 2011 World Cup winning team, but I feel these two wins are the biggest moments of my life. I feel proud to be Indian.”

Maninder said that Dhoni’s inspiring leadership was a big factor in the team’s success. “Dhoni marshalled his troops very well. His calm presence was a big asset to the side. He reserved the best for the final and came out with a fabulous knock. Don’t forget Sachin Tendulkar – his experience must have rubbed off on to the other players and it showed.”

The legendary Gundappa Viswanath said that the men in blue were the deserving winners. “From the beginning of the World Cup, I have been saying that this Indian team had all the potential to win the World Cup and they proved it on Saturday. It’s a fantastic achievement and one of the biggest days in Indian cricket after the 1983 World Cup glory.”

Vishy felt that Dhoni’s unbeaten knock of 91 was a fitting riposte to his critics. “He was criticised by many for his selection of players, but he silenced all with a superb innings while promoting himself up the order ahead of Yuvraj Singh.”