Don't throw it away!

West Indies players celebrate the wicket of India opener KL Rahul on Thursday. PIC/AFP

In a match-up reprising the game-changing 1983 World Cup final, India repeated their victory over the West Indies, only this time in much more convincing fashion on Thursday. Not only has the game changed drastically in the intervening 36 years but so too the fortunes of the two teams. India asserted their No. 1 authority in the ODI game as the West Indies continued to falter after promising much in the early phase of the tournament.

India stuttered at the top with the loss of Rohit Sharma having as much to do with the flawed Decision Review System (DRS), as excellent bowling. There was a good case for the ball clipping Rohit's pad to cause the technology spike, rather than his bat. The extreme doubt in this over-turn only confirmed the quick-witted observation of a Channel Nine producer who said when the DRS was first introduced: "There should be a videotape operator sitting with the third umpire to clarify any vagaries."

If a videotape operator was included in the DRS, Rohit's innings probably would have continued and umpire Richard Illingworth would've gained the satisfaction of making a very good on-field decision. However, this wasn't the case and it was left to KL Rahul to fill the role of a big score batsman at the top of the order. While Rahul is a very talented player he is too often dismissed when well set. He has to rectify this trait before the final to mirror the role of Shikhar Dhawan and to also provide cover for India's shaky lower order.

The Dhoni of old
Once again, Virat Kohli displayed his class and consistency, but currently, he just can't finish an innings off with the century he normally produces with regularity. This left the old warrior MS Dhoni with plenty to do and for a while he struggled while the much-improved Hardik Pandya provided the fireworks. In a final over flurry, the Dhoni of old returned to clobber two sixes and a four to propel India to a competitive total.

In the space of seven overs Mohammed Shami shifted that target greatly in favour of India by bouncing out the ever-dangerous Chris Gayle and then delivering a bail-trimming beauty to dismiss Shai Hope. This was the beginning of the West Indies downfall but not the end of Shami's destruction.

Selection headache
The ultra-competitive Shami came back to ambush Shimron Hetmyer and fittingly finish off the innings with the wicket of Oshane Thomas. India's victory kept alive their unbeaten run, while all but guaranteeing themselves a final four spot and creating a headache for the selectors.

There is no way they can leave out Shami and yet I'm sure they want to include the cagey Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the XI for the crucial matches. Bhuvneshwar gives Kohli extra options, particularly at the tail end of an innings and he also bolsters what is a fragile tail without his presence. His inclusion would be at the expense of a spinner which India will only do reluctantly. This is a headache of the pleasant kind and will be part of India's preparation for the knockout stages of a tournament that has come alive following Sri Lanka's surprise victory over England.

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