It's hard for a 19-year-old, who's fighting for a place with India's most successful skipper Sourav Ganguly, to deliver when the chips are down and the opponents are breathing hard down his neck.
However, after witnessing the second encounter of the series at Faridabad, one could say for sure that Suresh Raina has come of age.
India's new 'willow-wielder' did the rescue act in the middle overs and blazed all over the park at the death to steer his side to a comprehensive 4-wicket victory.
After yet another middle-order hiccup, with the hosts at a calamitous 93/5 chasing 226 runs to win, England had the match firmly in their grasp.
But then, Raina and Dhoni walked out in the middle and turned things around. Englishmen couldn't figure out what hit them!
The duo put on a rollicking 118-run for the sixth wicket at a crucial juncture to ensure that Freddie did not have the last laugh at his 100th one day outing.
Raina, declared the man-of-the-match for his exploits, stroked a masterful 81 off 89 balls, replete with 8 fours and one six. Dhoni, was subdued but nevertheless effective with his 55-ball 38.
{{/usCountry}}Raina, declared the man-of-the-match for his exploits, stroked a masterful 81 off 89 balls, replete with 8 fours and one six. Dhoni, was subdued but nevertheless effective with his 55-ball 38.
{{/usCountry}}It may be too soon to speak, but in Raina, India have got a weapon like none other. Ripping apart bowlers with such stunning regularity and managing it consistently to boot; such is his ballistic quality that he put Dhoni in to shade.
At least for some time now, the youngster will no longer me shunted in and out of the team any more.
India may be 2-0 up in the series, but they have not really dominated England in either of the games. Had it not been for strong bowling performance by Powar and Sreesanth to restrict the tourists to a modest score, the game could have slanted a different way.
The third of the seven match series will be played in Goa on Monday.
Sehwag begins well
Earlier, with visions of an axe looming large on him, Virender Sehwag began in an unusual manner. He stroked the balls 'cleverly' into the gaps, rather than hitting them hard.
Viru still got the boundaries; but after every four, he romped off to the other end with a single.
Gautam Gambhir provided him with an early dose of 'pressure-relievers', by doing the bulk of the scoring, but soon Sehwag took over. England fielders, facing the brunt of the willow-wielding opener after a long time, looked hapless.
At the end of first powerplay, India were 53 without any damage.
Indian top order falls apart
Shrewd Flintoff, got England back in contention by deciding not to take the second powerplay. The move not only put the brakes on the scoring but also effected two vital breakthroughs.
Sehwag (26 off 45 balls) trying to sweep low to a full, flat delivery from Blackwell, failed to connect. The ball disrupted the woodwork and with that ended Viru's tryst at Faridabad.
With fellow Delhi opener gone, Gambhir too followed him back to the pavilion with his individual score at 29.
Dravid run-out 'mysteriously'
Thereafter, Indian run chase was dealt a severe blow, when the main anchorman - Rahul Dravid - was run out in 'mysterious circumstances'.
Dravid scampered off for a run after the ball ricocheted off wicketkeeper's direct hit at the stumps. With only one bail fallen off, Collingwood raced from point to remove the other bail.
Dravid (5 runs off 14 balls) walked off the field shaking his head in disbelief. Next up, Kaif's wretched run continued, falling yet again on duck.
India sank deeper into their self-created hole of misery when in-form Yuvraj Singh (18 runs off 20 balls) dragged Blackwell's innocuous delivery on to his stumps.
With half the side back in the dressing room, England assumed the position of supremacy at Faridabad.
Dhoni, Raina rebuild
Dhoni and Raina carried India clear of its calamitous position of 93 for 5 with defensive yet steady batting.
With the required run-rate spiralling upwards after every over on a difficult Faridabad pitch, India had tough task ahead of them to go two up in the series.
To further pile on pressure, England part-time bowlers were proving more than a handful for the duo.
Raina realising the enormity of the situation, kicked off the fireworks with a superb lofted shot over mid-wicket for four and signal the fifty-run partnership.
Fireworks ensue
At the 40th over mark Raina's intentions were crystal clear. As India began its final 10 overs needing 65 runs, Flintoff was dispatched over long-on for a cracking boundary.
He reached his maiden fifty in ODIs 3 overs later and clobbered a mammoth six off Blackwell thereafter. Dhoni, at the other end, surprised by Raina's ballistic powerplay, put his head down to play a sheet-anchor role to the latter.
With fours raining incessantly from his blade, the 19-year old was overwhelming the opponents and the Ashes champions could do nothing about it!
England innings:
Despite Kevin Peitersen's blitzkrieg 72 and Andrew Strauss's stellar 61, England could only manage a modest total of 226 in the second ODI on the docile Faridabad pitch on Friday.
Indian bowling riding on Powar in the middle overs and Sreesanth at the death knocked the stuffing out of England's batting, after the top order blazed all guns at the start in dominating fashion.
Both the bowlers ended with 3 wickets a piece.
Near-perfect start
Earlier, England began their Faridabad endeavour with a near-perfect start with Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior, exuding confidence from the word go.
Flintoff put his side in an advantageous position first up by winning the toss and electing to bat first. Irfan Pathan, who was doubtful for the game because of flu, opened the bowling for India. However, he seemed to lack the rhythm and guile that he showcased at Kotla.
The Indians had done well to snatch victory from jaws of defeat in the first match, but England looked unlikely to oblige again with a repeat batting collapse.
Clobbering Pathan and hammering Sreesanth
In the midst of clobbering Pathan and hammering Sreesanth, England piled up 44 runs without any damage at the end of first powerplay.
With powerplay 2 in progress, England's strategy for the second ODI became apparent - they were not going to let Harbhajan settle!
Strauss and Prior built on their confident start; not only going just slam-bang but also nudging singles in the gaps to further frustrate Dravid.
India get back, but England consolidate
But Bhajji - the wily customer that he is - got India the vital breakthrough! Matt Prior walked back with his individual score at 33 off 49 balls. After Prior's scalp, Ramesh Powar removed Owais Shah at no score.
After a dominating start by England, spinners had yet again got India back in the game with 2 wickets in 2 overs.
But, Andrew Strauss took up the cudgels and hit his 8th half-century in one day internationals. He along with Kevin Peitersen steered his side out of a impending collapse.
After two quick dismissals, India could have got one more, had Raina kept his hands steady and not fluffed the latter.
Thereafter, KP's unusually dogged stint in the middle meant that India could not enjoy any more success at his end.
England suffer 'Powarful' blows
England's efforts towards consolidating innings was dealt a 'Powarful' blow when Strauss and Flintoff departed in quick succession.
Andrew Strauss having hit his 8th ODI fifty, committed the blunder of wildly charging down to Powar.
The ball escaped between his bat and pad, and crashed into the woodwork behind. He departed at 61 after dominating the match for 32 overs.
Freddie was out stumped to the same bowler with just 5 runs in his kitty. Dhoni exhibited his throwing skills when he ran out Collingwood (5 of 14 balls) after Pietersen rocketed to his half century.
Peitersen blazes, but England fall flat
Peitersen knew England's best chance of victory was to convert a promising start into an imposing performance and after rocketing to his half-ton, knuckled down to the task.
His sudden shove at the accelerator put the Indians in a confused frenzy and two sixes later, Dravid had no choice but to scatter the field. Fortunately for the skipper, KP (72 off 88 balls) tried one biff too many and finally edged the ball straight to him at short midwicket off Yuvraj.
With Peitersen gone, the rest of batters caved in meekly before the stipulated 50 overs.
Teams:
India: G Gambhir, V Sehwag, R Dravid (captain), Yuvraj Singh, M Kaif, SK Raina, IK Pathan, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Harbhajan Singh, RR Powar, S Sreesanth.
England: AJ Strauss, MJ Prior, OA Shah, KP Pietersen, A Flintoff (captain), PD Collingwood, GO Jones (wicketkeeper), ID Blackwell, LE Plunkett, Kabir Ali, JM Anderson.