Will Dhoni retain proactive approach?

BRISBANE: Indian cricket discovered the very thin line between the proactive and the foolhardy in Adelaide. No doubt it was Virat Kohli's decision to go for the runs on the turning pitch. He was willing to play for maximum and risked losing everything. The brilliant knocks in the fourth innings from Murali Vijay and Kohli himself eventually turned out to be in losing causes.

Kohli promised "aggressive cricket" at the start of the series but was it a wise decision to attempt chasing the runs down on such a pitch? Wouldn't India have been better off knuckling down and playing for a draw after Kohli and Vijay had done all the hard work till tea?

Wouldn't it have been prudent to arrive here at the Gabba with the series still nil-nil?

"No regrets," was all Kohli would repeat after the game.

India's new-found desire to go for a win at all costs, however, was less a well-thought-out ploy and more a fierce desire to showcase an ardent winning intent while playing away from home. It's a quality which has been missing from their Test-cricket approach in the last few years.

All too aware of past criticism and having got a chance to lead in a Test, Kohli - the man most likely to take over from MS Dhoni when the day comes -was keen on making a clean break from the past.

That much was evident in his decision to play Karn Sharma, or to take the fight to Nathan Lyon and encourage the batsmen to hit out at delicate moments.

His field placements too were as attacking as he had promised, with men in catching positions even with Australia in positions of ascendancy. Sometimes he overdid it too, like the 'three midwickets' to Michael Clarke - three fielders next to each other from silly mid-on to silly-midwicket.

If nothing else, it would have forced Clarke to think about what was going on. The Aussie captain tried breaking through the field first ball.

It can be argued India got a bit carried away with the 'aggressive' approach, a classic case of over emphasizing the process over the result.

Draws in Australia don't come by so often for the team anymore. The situation demanded a bit of prudence, and a more humble Plan B, once Vijay departed. Going down in a blaze of glory can be heroic but not always effective. This debate will rage long and hard, and hinge around the subjective. Australia often chase victory and risk defeat, but know when to eat humble pie and play safe.

The question now is what India will do next.

MS Dhoni is expected be back at the helm for the Gabba, a venue notorious for pace and bounce and often a batsman's graveyard. Having squandered the chance to draw in Adelaide, where conditions are the most favourable for teams from the subcontinent, the series gets tougher for India from here. Will the team retreat into its shell and play a more timid brand of cricket? Or will the brave new approach continue?

Dhoni's One-day success has not been able to mask his woeful Test record away from home. Often his inability to seize the moment has stood out in glaring fashion. But sometimes it can have its benefits. If Dhoni had been leading, it is unlikely India would have chased a win in Adelaide under those circumstances, on such a pitch.

Between the two captains, the present and the future, India have witnessed two extremes when it comes to approaching Test cricket. It may be time to choose a more wise middle path.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/followceleb.cms?alias=Virat Kohli,Murali Vijay,MS Dhoni,Michael Clarke,India vs Australia

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.