MS Dhoni’s ability to be a fearless strategist paid dividends in the final against England

England needed 28 runs off the last three overs, with six wickets in hand, to overtake India's 129 in a rain-curtailed 20 overs and win their first ICC Champions Trophy. There was spin in the Edgbaston wicket, and England were almost out of it at 46 for four at one time, but a few good blows from Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara had brought the game within their grasp. Two powerplay overs to go should have made it a cinch for them. All the Indian bowlers had kept it tight until then, except Ishant Sharma who had gone at nine an over in his first three overs. Mahendra Singh Dhoni had reserved an over each from Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to bowl the last two powerplay overs. He had to choose between one of the seamers and part-time spinner Suresh Raina to bowl the 18th over before the powerplay. Raina was the one who had given Dhoni so many options, having chipped in with three overs for 19 runs. Of the seamers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar too had given 19 runs off his three overs with the new ball, and Umesh Yadav had conceded only 10 in two overs and picked the wicket of the England captain Alastair Cook to boot. But Dhoni ignored them all and picked Ishant to bowl the 18th over, regardless of the fact that he had been the only profligate bowler until then.