Fresh ideas inspire India

India, inspired by the ebullience of Virender Sehwag and the impudent and often imperious shotmaking of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, were worthy winners in the end, but it was Pakistan's courageous tilt at the most imposing of targets that made this such an engrossing game. This could easily have gone the way of the last World Cup final and many other one-sided routs but the free-stroking spirit of Abdul Razzaq, Yousuf Youhana and even Kamran Akmal, towards the end, ensured that there would be no complacency within the Indian ranks until that last wicket had been taken.

Though theirs proved to be quixotic efforts, Razzaq and Youhana contributed immeasurably to what was ultimately a run-fest to remember. Pakistan made their runs at 6.75, and it was only India's ability to grab wickets at critical stages during the chase that won them a contest that was there for the taking when both Razzaq and Youhana were smacking the ball to all corners.

In the final analysis though, this was one more step on the road to rehabilitation for an Indian side that has frequently played dishwater-dull one-day cricket since reaching that World Cup final. With the exception of a couple of matches against Australia in last year's VB Series and the one-day series in Pakistan last year, India had been uninspired, predictable and extremely beatable in the shortened version of the game.

The effective utilisation of Sachin Tendulkar's slow-bowling skills in the last game was the first suggestion that innovation was once more top of the team agenda. That was confirmed by the brave move to promote Dhoni to number three this morning, ahead of a continually misfiring Sourav Ganguly. Australia have swept all before them thanks to such adaptability, and Pakistan had surpassed India as a one-day side over the past few months for precisely the same reason. Bits and pieces don't always win you games, but added to the element of surprise it can unnerve even the strongest opponent.

While Dhoni and Sehwag were carving the bowling apart this morning, you also foresaw a glimpse of the future that awaits once time's deluge carries the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly out of the side. With his russet locks styled `80s-glam-rock style, Dhoni cuts a distinctive figure, and his cavalier batsmanship could make him a hero second only to Sehwag in years to come. Certainly, if he carries on in this vein - and it is far too early to make any sort of judgement - India might just have a desi version of the incomparable Adam Gilchrist on the roster.

There were other heroes too. Dravid was almost inscrutable on his way to a finely crafted 52, but it was an effort perfectly in sync with Dhoni's coruscating blows from the other end. And when the time came to bowl, Ashish Nehra sent one whistling into Shahid Afridi's off stump to deny Pakistan what could have been a start even more explosive than the one they eventually managed. And after copping a real hiding from Razzaq, who played with panache and composure for his 88, Nehra came back to bowl with real purpose and menace in the final stages.

Yuvraj Singh too chipped in with the sort of contribution that can turn a game. Having managed only a 10-ball cameo with the bat, his left-arm spin into the rough outside the right-hander's leg stump imitated what Sachin Tendulkar had done earlier, and the wickets of Razzaq and Shoaib Malik, another capable of devastating salvos with the bat, changed the complexion of a game that had final-over nail-biter written all over it.

In a sense, this was a throwback to the finest hours that this Indian team has enjoyed, though it can't be stressed strongly enough that it was the infusion of new blood and fresh ideas that provided the impetus for a memorable victory. After starting the series as underdogs, India now travel to Jamshedpur with the sweet strains of victory ringing in the ears, and the chants of "Dhoni, Dhoni" are unlikely to be suppressed as the teams journey to the mining region that unearthed this latest precious gem.