espnstar.com's Rajarshi Gupta looks at why a win in the third ODI against the West Indies was so crucial for India skipper MS Dhoni.

India are back in the game. As skipper MS Dhoni led a stiff chase against the West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium on Sunday, the machine looked like chugging again.

The openers, Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir were perhaps the protagonists on a rainy evening at St Lucia as India made sure they do not go back home with a series loss.

A win on Sunday and India could keep their winning momentum in ODI’s intact. So what if they went down in the ICC World Twenty20? Dhoni’s stand would be vindicated.

“ODI’s is a different ball game,” Dhoni had said on his arrival to the Caribbean islands after a disastrous campaign in England, where the skipper’s form with the bat, tactics on the field and loose talk off it drew him the ire of the media and fans back home.

Critics and experts questioned the wisdom of a four-match ODI series at the end of a hectic season, so much so that the team could barely turn up for the World Twenty20. However, one man would not have complained. The series after all gave India’s pin-up boy a chance to redeem himself and he did.

An unbeaten 41 in the first match followed by a captain’s knock, a 95 and then the 46 last night have put Dhoni back in the limelight for the right reasons and you could almost think it was expected. No one counts MS Dhoni out.

India take a 2-1 lead

What would have been pleasing for those who have tracked MSD’s career over the last four years was the ease with which he accelerated his innings at Gros Islet. His innings was not punctuated by those booming drives or murderous hoicks over mid-wicket but he kept it going, enough to snatch India victory in the last over.

Dhoni has rediscovered himself as a batsman and rather stubbornly reiterated that he is more concerned about finishing games for the team and not about his big-hitting reputation.

A couple of boundaries and one over it during his unbeaten knock were enough. The captain was content and before you could realise, that look of gravity was back.

However, he still has problems to deal with, big problems. The bowling did not look penetrating enough for a team trying to wrest the top spot.

Zaheer Khan’s injury has crippled the Indian attack and what has not helped is Harbhajan Singh’s indifferent form with the ball.

Ashish Nehra, with three for 21 was perhaps the only Indian bowler who gave Dhoni at least a reason to smile on the field and the left arm seamer has truly been a revelation.

Gayle upset with bowlers

It is difficult to decipher what Ishant Sharma is still doing in the team, getting hammered for so many. RP Singh seems to have lost his touch again and not surprisingly, the Caribbean Calypsos decided to make merry.

Dhoni did not even look at giving Abhishek Nayar a look in with the ball despite his strike bowlers going for plenty and coming under heavy fire from Ramnaresh Sarwan.

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle was upset with his bowlers and he made no bones about it. “They should have been more aggressive”

Jerome Taylor and Suleiman Benn were completely out of sorts at the face of an Indian batting onslaught. The writing was on the wall. India were out for revenge and the West Indies had to pay.