Beating Sri Lanka in ODIs, especially in its backyard is tough. Moreover, one of the two umpires is theirs. Not that it influenced the outcome of the series which India clinched 3-2.

Skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the latest winner of the Khel Ratna, has ensured that his winning streak continues. Remember Sachin Tendulkar relinquished the captaincy, not once but twice, stating that he did not have the luck? But captains who depend on luck never succeed. As the great Jack Hobbs once said, “Luck favours the better side.” 

We can introduce the idea that it also favours the better captain. And this is saying a lot, because it was not long ago that Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene was voted the best captain in the game at the ICC Awards ceremony.

Since Dhoni is only the ODI captain for the present, he would have to wait for the award, which can only come to him after he assumes the Test captaincy, too. The time should not be far off.

In 1971, Ajit Wadekar was quite unfairly dubbed a “lucky captain”, when he planned every move in the series’ wins against the West Indies and England overseas. As they say in northern India, “kuch nazar lag gaya”. Poor Wadekar, first, had a difficult home series in 1972-73, and was then swamped overseas in 1974. It ended his career on a sad note. Both rubbers were against England.

Dhoni’s captaincy and leadership qualities have come in for much praise. However, he must not continue to be soft on his deputy Yuvraj Singh, who seems to be in the team as a fieldsman and occasional bowler. Where are the runs that he is meant to score? When Tendulkar and Sehwag return to the side, one hopes good sense prevails and Yuvraj is made the permanent twelfth man.