It is good to see the Indians performing consistently. The side has made winning a habit, and this augurs well for the coming days.

India's crushing victory over the South Africans was all the more creditable since the Indian side was without so many of its stars. As far as depth is concerned, we appear to be progressing in the right direction.

Having said that, it was surprising to see the South Africans capitulating in such a fashion. The Proteas were found wanting in character.

The South Africans are going through a rebuilding process, and if their first match is any indication, they have quite some way to go before striking the right balance.

The most heartening aspect of the Indian victory was the performance of Mohammed Kaif.

He had been missing out on the big scores lately, and I was especially disappointed that he did not make the most of the opportunity against Bangladesh.

I have always believed in his ability, and you can be sure that there would be no shortage of effort from him. However, his shot selection, recently, left much to be desired.

The gutsy cricketer managed to turn things around against the Proteas, and his near hundred came when his side needed it. I liked the way he approached this innings. Kaif took his time to settle without getting bogged down and accelerated towards the end.

Dinesh Mongia made timely runs for himself and his team, and captain Sourav Ganguly missed out on a chance to notch up a hundred. He was stroking the ball well.

While Ajit Agarkar and Harbhajan Singh made life difficult for the South Africans, it was an encouraging sign for India that Virender Sehwag, who can be a useful off-spinner in limited overs cricket, was among the wickets.

The bowlers were backed well by Parthiv Patel behind the stumps.

The new South African captain Graeme Smith certainly erred by not giving the new ball to the experienced Shaun Pollock, who is among the best seam and swing bowlers in contemporary cricket.

This move by Smith took the sting out of the attack, and the Indians were never really put under pressure.

I am sure Smith would have realised his mistake.

Giving young leg-spinner Amit Mishra a game was a welcome move by the Indians. It is important that in this tournament all the newcomers receive a chance at some stage or the other.

(Source : www.kris-srikkanth.com)

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