Does it sounds too good to be true for all the millions of hard core Indian fans of crickets? Yes, this is what we are eagerly waiting for and for once, the dream looks achievable on paper where we start the tournament being favorites of the same.
Justifiably or not, India had started several World Cups in the near past wearing the favorites tag, but never had that label been more authentic than now. Their bowling attack seemed to be the problem in the past, but even on their most frigid days India often possess a batting line-up capable of overhauling anything. This time the batting lineup appears even quite a few notches higher than regular, and this is what we fans are banking upon, to bring us the cup with our favorite Mascot.
India boasts of a batting lineup consisting of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Mahinder Singh Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan. The weakest link on paper in that line-up, Virat Kohli, is also India’s most in-form batsman. And Suresh Raina, is a force on the spinning tracks in the subcontinent, is an strong option too. Each one is capable of producing a match-winning innings and producing tons of centuries and turn the course of the match single handedly. This Indian side is very capable for scoring a 300-plus total, and chasing one down, maybe even 350s.
In the bowling section, India have played just one specialist, Harbhajan Singh, in recent games and relied on a phalanx of able part-timers – Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina while Chawla and Ashwin were the other reserve slow bowlers. While Zaheer Khan will spearhead the pace bowling department with Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar and Ashish Nehra being the others who should be able to provide more than ample support to the pace department.
Thus, the names of the stalwarts in the current team makes one wonder whether if is this not the strongest world cup team we ever had in recent times? Cant we repeat the 1983 feat again, this time under Dhoni?
Finally, for the keen fans out there, this is the World Cup Fixture to help you stay in touch and not lose your favorite matches.
The final Indian squad for the 2011 ICC world cup is as follows:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, Ashish Nehra.