The big game of cricket is back again with a bang, ICC Cricket World Cup- this time on Indian soil. Australia- the team having won the world cup title 4 times, 3 in a row. The rest of the teams will also look forward to cherishing their dream to win the biggest event of Cricket.
The time has come to wash out the heart-breaking memories of 2007 West Indies World Cup and create some new ones which the whole nation will cherish for a really really long time. Let this cricket crazy nation be given the world cup trophy that has eluded it for the last 28 years. Five world cups!!!! India is without the 50 over world cup for 28 years now. let the wait be over this time!!
This world cup is special for Team India in many ways.
We have a strong side in all departments of the game. We have a 'calm and cool' captain in Dhoni whose captaincy is widely admired. Although his batting has not shown the sparks of his original game lately, his reputation as a 'hit hard in the big games' batsman still makes us have faith in him. Then there are our openers- Tendulkar and Sehwag. What can one say about Tendulkar's form in last one and a half year? Challenging situations bring out the best in him. So if he continues this form in the world cup then we are in for a real treat of some breath-taking strokeplay and a masterclass from the master himself. Sehwag has already stated that he wants to bat for 50 overs and if this happens then no total is challenging for the Team India. 400 run mark will look so much easier to achieve if he is there till the last ball of the innings.
Then comes Mr Gambhir. He displayed the versatility in his batting in the NZ one day series which India won 5-0 under his captaincy. An opener or a one-down, Gambhir is a threat to any team in any situation. Virat Kohli is a real find for India. His all-round skill in the field (batting, bowling and fielding) makes him a true legend in the making. Yuvraj Singh is best suited for the spot of no 4. He can pace the innings according to the need of the hour. He can rotate the strike as well as hit huge sixes to accelerate the pace of the innings. He hits form in this world cup and this might just be his tournament. Raina gives solidity to the middle order. His improvement as a game changer or a finisher is tremendous. Then follows Dhoni. One might be concerned about his batting form seeing his last few innigns did not reflect the kind of a batsman he is but let's not forget that we are talking about a batsman who has been consistently among the Top-3 ODI batsmen in the world for last 3 years. Yusuf Pathan's tons in those NZ and SA matches were such a treat to watch. Let's not say that he is an all-rounder India was so desperately looking for. Let's just say that he is a lower order hard hitting batsman who can, on his day, destroy any lineup with his slow bowling as well.
Harbhajan's bowling economy rate in ODIs is impeccable. He also can finish the innings in style with a bat in his hands. Who can forget the great six that won us a nail biting match against the arch rivals Pakistan in Asia Cup last year!! Zaheer Khan's mere presence in the team boosts the confidence of the other bowlers. This was clearly the case in the 1st and 2nd test against SA in December 2010. His intelligent bowling really makes him the spearhead of the Indian bowling attack. Ashish Nehra is, I think, like a lottery ticket. On his day he can be as dangerous as any swing bowler in the world but if it is not his day then the opposing batsmen simply dispatch him all over the park. S Srisanth just needs to stay focused on the game and he is a very good bowler who can swing the ball both ways. Munaf Patel brings solidity to the Indian pace attack. Piyush Chawla is a very handy bowler to have in the lineup especially in Indian conditions. R Ashwin is a very clever bowler who adjusts to the conditions quickly.
So this team consists of a number of match winners who can win matches on their own. But Cricket is a team game and all the players should click as a unit to win the World Cup. This team has shown in last two years that they are capable of doing the same. Only one thing is required and that is to keep their nerves in home conditions, in front of huge Indian crowd. If the team overcomes their 'big stage fright', there is every chance of this Indian team winning the world cup.
For years Indian Cricket fans have been consoling themselves saying, "Chalo yaar, koi nahi.. Next time we will definitely win the Cup." Let it be this time only. Also it would really be a fitting farewell to a man who has almost everything to his name in the record books, who has been trying his best for years to be a part of a World Cup winning team and who has devoted last 21 years of his life to Cricket!!
Cheers! :)
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