It turned out to be the perfect escape for India at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Tuesday. Not only did the home side steal victory after being bowled out for a paltry 203, but also had their ace bowler, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, back among the wickets.
Harbhajan claimed 5 for 31 to register his best figures in one-day internationals and help India win by 39 runs.
It wasn't the start India had hoped for after being sent in to bat by Andrew Flintoff. Though the early overs from the seamers were played out without much damage, they collapsed in the middle overs. The innings lasted just 46.4 overs, the 200-run mark crossed thanks to a gritty 37 from Harbhajan Singh.
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The English, buoyed by the resounding victory in the third Test in Mumbai, seemed over enthusiastic sensing another success as the set out to chase the target.
But they began disastrously. Irfan Pathan struck twice in the first over of the innings, claiming the wickets of Andrew Strauss and Owais Shah.
Kevin Pietersen looked like a man possessed. He took the attack to the Indian bowlers and, very soon, captain Rahul Dravid was forced to bring on Harbhajan. That was as early as the 12th over of the innings.
Having struggled for wickets recently, the ace 'offie' struck in his first over, claiming the wicket of opener Matt Prior.
Soon England were 57 for 3, in the 12th over. It gave India a ray of hope, but only just.
India had no runs to play with and their only chance lay in claiming wickets regularly, and without giving away too much.
But England seemed in a hurry, as Pietersen and captain Andrew Flintoff went after the bowling ruthlessly. They were scoring at more than six runs per over, accumulating 115 for 3 in 19 overs, with Flintoff on 40 off 30 balls and Pietersen on 45 off 47 balls.
Just 89 runs were needed from 31 overs, with seven wickets in hand. It seemed a comfortable task; the only need was some sensible batting. But, then, the glorious uncertainties of cricket unfolded. Two rash shots was all India needed to get back into the match.
Captain Rahul Dravid, in a freak move, tossed the ball to Yuvraj Singh in the 20th over, as all the regular bowlers were being tonked around. The left-arm spinner sometimes proves a handful with his slow, lopping deliveries, tempting the batsmen to have a go. Pietersen obliged as he tried to clear the midwicket fence but was caught on the boundary off a full toss.
Still the match was very much in England's hands and they could only gift it to the Indians. But Harbhajan dealt the killer blow as he trapped Flintoff leg before wicket in the next over. That is when one felt the match was slipping from England's grasp. The wicket brought the huge crowd to life.
Dravid then moved his fielders in; a couple were positioned right next to the batsmen. It was a clear indication that he was going for the kill, waiting for the batsmen to err.
At the end of the match even Harbhajan agreed that the two wickets in quick succession was the turning point.
Gerain Jones failed to read the flight from Harbhajan and was bowled. Ian Blackwell tried a rash shot when the need of the hour was to try and play out the overs from the rampaging Harbhajan. He tried to a slog sweep and was brilliantly held by Gambhir, just inches from the boundary ropes.
Paul Collingwood fell to an unbelievable catch from Mohammad Kaif at short leg. It was quite deserving that a brilliant catch had completed the five-wicket haul for Harbhajan, who just mesmerised the English with his spin.
The offie was criticized for a poor showing throughout the Pakistan tour and then again in the just-concluded Test series against England, but he came back in fine style.
England collapsed from a healthy 115 for 3 after 19 overs to 142 for 9 in the 32nd over. They finally caved in for 164 when Liam Plunkett was caught behind off Pathan for 14.
Even they must be wondering how the match slipped from their grasp after being in command for most part of it.
Harbhajan finished with career-best figures 5 for 31 to give India a 1-0 lead in the series. His spell of 4 for 9 in six overs turned the match on its head.
The fact that Yuvraj was allowed to bowl his 10 overs, which fetched him two wickets at the cost of 32 runs, showed the dominance of the two spinners.
India may rejoice over the victory, but some work needs to be done on the batting front. Sehwag has fallen to the short-pitched delivery so many times of late, but has not yet done anything about it. Today's dismissal clearly underlined how the English bowlers prepared for him.
There were reports that yesterday coach Greg Chappell showed the team videos of the recent victories against Sri Lanka and Pakistan so that they could forget the Mumbai defeat. It would have been better had Chappell showed Sehwag his recent modes of dismissal.
A bowler is only allowed two bouncers per over; surely he can at least try learning to leave the short deliveries alone twice in an over.
As a batsman you try and improve with each outing, but it seems Sehwag's problem is getting worse. Except for the 76 in the second innings at Mohali, runs have come at a premium for the swashbuckling Delhi batsman, against the English attack missing key bowlers, Stephen Harmison and Simon Jones.
He has another opportunity to come good in the second ODI of the series in Faridabad in Friday. Let's hope he won't disappoint his fans.
