'I do believe that it�..s time we as Indians gave serious thought to whether it is �..India Shining�.� or �..India Burning�.�' © AFP

Back home sooner than expected, I am writing this from Chennai, and with sadness. My heart goes out to all the families who lost their loved ones in the attacks on Mumbai, and I also stand up and proudly salute our brave armed forces who brought the mayhem to an end. The beginning of the ICL World Series seems so far away now.

I was very happy to be a part of the ICL India team, as I�..ve always relished the challenge of going up against quality players from all over the world. We began with the ever-thrilling fixture against our neighbours, ICL Pakistan. We started well with R Jesuraj getting rid of their dangerous opening pair in quick time. Rana Naved looked good, but we introduced Ali Murtaza to take the pace off the ball, and it worked. After Naved fell, they never got going and we were happy to restrict them to 165.

During our chase, we lost G Vignesh early, but Ibrahim Khaleel and Ambati Rayudu put on a good partnership. Suddenly, three wickets in four overs brought the Pakistanis right back into it. However, at this stage I was confident I was the right man for the job, as the situation called for a calmer and more mature head. I was able to play steadily and guide Rayudu, and also took a few chances when needed. We did lose several more wickets, but I was glad I could remain till the end and see us home with just one wicket left. It was a good, tight finish, and I was pleased with my effort.

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