India's final league match against West Indies at The Wanderers held minimal significance within the framework of the 2009 Champions Trophy. Both teams entered the match on September 30 already eliminated from contention. West Indies had suffered defeats at the hands of Pakistan and Australia, while India, having lost to their regional rivals in their opening match, was officially out of the tournament after their game against Australia was abandoned due to rain.

This marked the third consecutive Champions Trophy in which India failed to progress beyond the initial stage. In the 2004 tournament held in England, India began with a victory over Kenya but subsequently faced their first defeat to Pakistan in an ICC event, losing by three wickets in a low-scoring encounter. With only the top four teams advancing to the semifinals, India was eliminated in the first round for the first time, a misfortune that would repeat itself two years later on home soil.

Competing in Group A alongside Australia, England, and the defending champions West Indies, India commenced the 2006 edition with a tense victory over England in Jaipur. However, they lost Yuvraj Singh to a knee injury sustained during warm-ups before their match against Australia in Mohali, leading to defeats against both the Australians and the West Indies, resulting in an early exit.

In South Africa in 2009, India faced Pakistan for the second time in three tournaments, and the rainout against Australia rendered their participation merely academic. Nevertheless, pride was on the line as the two winless teams faced off on a lively pitch at the Bullring, where the abundant grass cover allowed fast bowlers to dominate the proceedings.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, facing the challenge of redeeming a disappointing 50-over campaign in the very nation where he had previously guided the team to victory in the inaugural T20 World Cup, confidently opted to field first against the West Indies. Praveen Kumar and Ashish Nehra capitalized on this decision, effectively dismantling the opposition's top order. Despite the prevailing conditions, India included two specialist spinners, Harbhajan Singh and Piyush Chawla, while Abhishek Nayar was designated as the third seamer.

The West Indies quickly found themselves in dire straits at 31 for four. Just as a fifth-wicket partnership began to form between Travis Dowlin and David Bernard, Dhoni removed his wicketkeeping pads at the start of the 17th over, allowing Dinesh Karthik to take over behind the stumps while Dhoni prepared to bowl. This marked Dhoni's debut as a bowler in One Day Internationals, having previously bowled in Test matches in Faisalabad in 2006 and against England in Mohali in 2008, a decision influenced by the match conditions and team composition.

Dhoni achieved immediate success with his fourth delivery, outpacing Dowlin and compelling him to edge the ball, thus securing what would remain his sole international wicket. Although the West Indies displayed brief moments of resistance, they were ultimately bowled out for a mere 129 runs, with Praveen and Nehra each claiming three wickets.

India's innings began on a shaky note as Gautam Gambhir was dismissed by Kemar Roach and Rahul Dravid was run out while attempting a risky single. With the score at 12 for two, Virat Kohli entered the fray to join Karthik. Over the next two hours, Kohli exhibited exceptional skill, adeptly navigating the conditions and the bowling attack, offering an early glimpse of the renowned chaser he would later become in limited-overs cricket.

In just his eighth One Day International innings, Kohli exhibited remarkable form, skillfully playing the ball late and beneath his eyes. He capitalized on any lapses in length, finding gaps that had eluded all other batsmen from both teams. Particularly strong off the back foot, he effortlessly pulled the ball whenever Roach and the aggressive Gavin Tonge tested the pitch's bounce. Kohli achieved a composed second ODI half-century in 80 balls; while he was not yet the dominant force he would soon become, he adeptly navigated the innings alongside Karthik, who provided vital support during a 92-run partnership for the third wicket.

What was particularly noteworthy at that time, with Kohli being just 13 months into his international career and not yet a contender for the Test squad, was his capacity to assess the situation and adapt his batting accordingly. Although there was minimal scoreboard pressure allowing him to settle in, the significant assistance offered by the four-pronged pace attack and the precarious position of India when he arrived at the crease made this innings particularly memorable.

Brief scores: West Indies: 129 all out in 36 overs (Praveen Kumar 3-22, Ashish Nehra 3-31, Harbhajan Singh 2-14) lost to India: 130/3 in 32.1 overs (Dinesh Karthik 34, Virat Kohli 79 n.o.) by seven wickets. Player of the Match: Virat Kohli.

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