India Win NZ test series 1-0 and not 2-0

Okay...so Dhoni didn't declare on time...yet again!Or at least that is what our revered ex-cricketers and innumerable cricket commentators will want us to believe.Lets look at a few comments:

1. "When you're winning, crush the opposition..hold them by the throat...scare them for the next time...that is what West Indies did...that is what Australia do.."-Kapil Dev

2. "Dhoni has done what he did against England, to the same result." - Ravi Shastri

Agreed, both comments are succinct and precise...but, wait a minute, lets try and be a little more objective. What were the circumstances before the decision?

1. Throughout the series, but for the T20 matches, India were clearly the superior team.

2. India were leading the test series 1-0 with a comprehensive victory in the 1st test and saving the 2nd test following-on owing to some brilliant performances by Gautam Gambhir, and the oldies.

3. The third test is in Wellington, "the Basin", known for its winds and unpredictable weather.

• The test starts with predictions of rain on all days, especially the final day (I am not sure of latter fact but, this what I've gathered from the columns and for once, I believe the stalwarts on face value).
• Curator says, anything above 250 in any innings is bound to be respectable. India score 379 in the first innings, thanks largely to the tail-enders - clear indiacations that the curator was right. NZ was rap(p)ed (up for 197) by ZaK and company in a mere 65 overs, in the first innings - curator proved doubly right.
• India bat the last session of Day 2 and the entire Day 3 to gain a mammoth lead of 523 with Yuvraj and Dhoni on crease. Bad light stops play early with a minimum of 21 overs left for the day.
• Day 4 starts 30mins early, Dhoni doesn't declare. India bat 10 overs, adding another 30 odd, Dhoni doesn't declare. First hour ends, India has added 50 odd in 12 odd overs, Dhoni doesn't declare. An hour and half and 18 overs gone, India extend the lead to 617, Dhoni Declares! Oops! Wrong timing! Too much time gone!

Or is it? Lets look at a few more points.

1. History:

• Less than two years back, the world champions made a formidable 434 in 50 overs. Result: they lost.
• Less than 6 months back, the world champions pose a similar score as target, but this time in the fourth innings of a test match in their backyard. Result:the same.
• Same day, a team called India make 387 in a fourth innings at the loss of just 3 wickets to win a test match.

NZ may not have done any wonders in the entire series but, what if they pulled off a blinder in the 170 odd overs India were supposed to field?

2. The weather:

• What if there were no bad-light on Day 3 and Dhoni played the remaining 21 overs on that day and declared?
• What if it had started raining an hour early on Day 5 (before Sachin Tendulkar's magical spell)?
• What if rained an hour later (after an Indian victory)?

A third innings declaration on the 3rd day can never be regarded late then, what's wrong if Dhoni consumed those overs on the next day?Or was it his fault that the implementation of day-light saving was stopped in the middle of the test match?

And the rain was unpredicatable...absolutely. No meterological department in the world can predict it with an hour's accuracy, then why blame Dhoni?

True the result was supposed to be 2-0 and not what it reads now. But, we still won the series and with all due respect to Kapil Dev, we did "scare NZ", go and ask Danniel Vettori or Kyle Mills. Please, let Dhoni be the way he is. Do not force your decisions or opinions on him. Yes, training helps, but not at the stake of losing ones natural gift. We spoilt Irfan Pathan, let us not do the same to Dhoni. He's given Indian cricket what it hadn't experienced ever - the belief that we can win every time we play.