Click to play videoNew Delhi: India won the seventh and final ODI against England in style, winning the match by a massive seven-wicket margin.
Chasing a target of 289 after deciding to field in Indore, debutant Robin Uthappa and Skipper Rahul Dravid put on 166 runs for the first wicket giving the lower order batsmen a clear lead.
Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina then took over the mantle and pushed India past the finishing line with five balls to spare.
Earlier on, India put England to bat after Dravid won the toss. Despite a faltering start, the visitors looked set to post a total beyond 300 at one stage, but a brilliant comeback spell by Man of the Match S Sreesanth put an end to their scoring.
Sreesanth bagged his maiden six-wicket haul, giving away 55 runs in his quota of 10 overs. Pathan shared the honours with Sreesanth, taking two for 44 in his 10.
Going in with a re-configured side again, India was relying heavily on the likes of Pathan, Yuvraj and Dravid, and they didn’t disappoint.
But the younger players clearly stole the show with their remarkable performances.
It was Sreesanth who started it all, chipping away at the English batsmen, and taking wickets at crucial stages of the game.
India has been chasing well of late, winning most of the matches in the series in similar fashion. But the home team did not go with even one regular opener, with Dravid pushed up the order and Uthappa making his debut.
The second half of the game also proved to be a surprise package, as Dravid, known for his steady batting abilities, fired his way to a 50, reached at almost a run-a-ball.
Uthappa, too, played with unmatched maturity, showing a lot of guile and scoring a fabulous 86. A hook over fine-leg, which saw the ball landing on the roof of the stadium, was perhaps the pick of his shots.
Looking set to complete his maiden century, Uthappa threw his wicket away in the 29th over. He was casually taking a second run, when a throw from long-on from James Anderson ran him out.
After being two down from nowhere, Yuvraj and Raina carried on from where the openers had left off. Yuvraj cover-driving to perfection early on indicated the man was in fine knick.
England probably lacked most in the bowling department, with Flintoff not playing the last ODI. The stand-in Skipper for the series has been the most successful bowler for the visiting side.
Yuvraj Singh was given the Man of the Series award, reflective of consistent scores and decent bowling performances throughout the series.
India now fly to Abu Dhabi for a two match ODI series against Pakistan, while England will head home contemplating on a miserable defeat, and gearing up to host Sri Lanka later on in the month of May.
India have certainly found a host of reserves for the years to come, but selecting a final 16 for away tours would be a tough ask for the team management. Nevertheless, having ready replacements for the experienced players is a boon for the future.
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