Beating a strong side like Australia by a huge margin is not a small thing. The Indian cricket team's performance in the second one-dayer against Australia was exceptionally dazzling and fortunately, Mahendra Singh Dhoni is back to his usual swashbuckling best. Australians were absolutely outplayed in every department of the game.

Dhoni struck a breathtaking 124 in 107 balls as India put up an all-round display to crush Australia by 99 runs in the second one-dayer to level the seven-match series 1-1, in Nagpur.

India seized the momentum early on. The team’s record 354 for seven is the highest against Australia, uprightly and decisively cancelling out its narrow four-run loss in Vadodara on Sunday.    

Australia were never in the hunt to chase down the mammoth target as they were just 115 for four by the 25th over and the asking run rate climbed to 11 plus by the 31st over. Young Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of Indian bowlers with 3/35. He nipped in the bud any chance of an Australian middle order fightback.     

Dhoni proved right in retaining the first four slots in the order -- Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh. Dhoni’s bat rebutted the insistence of those who have been advocating a change in the batting order.

Ponting normally doesn’t decide to field first on winning the toss. He had perhaps over- estimated his batsmen. India unfalteringly upset all his calculations.     

Yet, let’s not underestimate the mighty Aussies. I hope the Indian team bears in mind that five more matches are still left in the series and that one swallow does not make a summer.