World Cup Cricket-2015

India go into this World Cup not only as the defending champions but also as one of the only three teams that have won it more than once. Had they won the World T20 final against Sri Lanka in April 2014, they would have held all three big limited-overs international trophies. In the lead-up to the World Cup, they have either been the No. 1 ODI side in the world or thereabouts. Yet you wouldn't put them among the two or three big favourites to win the tournament.

A lot of this has to do with the venues. The last time India played ODIs in Australia and New Zealand, they failed to make the final of a triangular series in Australia and went winless in a five-match bilateral series in New Zealand. India are half the side when their spinners cannot dictate terms and their spinners are unlikely to be too effective on pitches in New Zealand and Australia, though the big grounds in Australia will give them some breathing space.

Between World Cups, spin bowlers have averaged the worst - 50 - in New Zealand, with an economy rate of 4.97, which is second only to 5.02 in South Africa. Little wonder that India have struggled in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

India will face another unique challenge. By the time the World Cup starts, most of their players will have played without a proper break for almost a year. If they make it to the final of the World Cup, most of them will have been away from their homes for a stretch of 144 days, starting with a Test series and triangular series in Australia.

The odds might not be stacked in India's favour, but the field is limited and the format soft. There is no way a big team can be knocked out in the league stages unless things go nightmarishly wrong, repeatedly, and after that it is a matter of three good days. Temperament has not really been an issue for this side under MS Dhoni, the only major captain from the 2011 event to survive so long. It is not going to be easy with the conditions not in India's favour, but with the nature of the format and shrinking competition in world cricket, don't rule India out.






© ESPNcricinfo Ltd





World Cup pedigree


Until June 25, 1983, India were nobodies in limited-overs cricket. Since that day, when Kapil Dev's team fashioned India's most famous success to date, they have entered every World Cup with high expectations, winning the last one, thus joining Australia and West Indies as the only repeat winners. They have come close on three other occasions: losing the 2003 final and two semi-finals at home, in 1987 and 1996. The alternate editions, 1992, 1999, and 2007 have been strictly forgettable. The law of averages then doesn't make for good news after their 2011 success.



X-factor


The oldest member of the side, one of the few survivors from the 2011 win, MS Dhoni might be the most familiar face in cricket today, but he still has it in him to surprise. With his tactics, with his field placements, with his batting. It is hard to imagine India doing well in this World Cup without Dhoni being at his best as a batsman, wicketkeeper, and captain.



Players in focus


Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli began to believe he belonged in international cricket when he last toured Australia, scoring a hundred in the Adelaide Test and then following up with an 86-ball 133 in an ODI in Hobart ODI that propelled India to 321 in 36.4 overs. Now - despite a lean 2014 - he is India's batting mainstay. How well he comes out of this inevitable bad patch will have a big bearing on how well India do in the World Cup.

Suresh Raina

To the spirit of the team, Raina's worth is far more than the runs he scores. He is India's best slip fielder. He bowls handy part-time offspin. He is selfless, in that he bats in difficult positions. And he doesn't look at his own average, which, while not great, is on the mend after he returned to the side with a Man-of-the-Series performance in the ODIs in England in mid-2014.

Ravindra Jadeja

India's best one-day bowler since the last World Cup. He is excellent in the field too; his rocket arm will be required in Australia. He was picked despite a shoulder injury. That shoulder, which the selectors expect to be fine in time for game one, will be needed. On India's last trip to New Zealand, he single-handedly tied a game off his bat. Against all expectations, Jadeja has carved himself a place as a successful international cricketer; now he enters the biggest stage.






Fact box

Previous World Cups

1975: Group Stage

1979: Group Stage

1983: Winners

1987: Semi-finals

1992: Group Stage

1996: Semi-finals

1999: Super Sixes

2003: Finalists

2007: Group Stage

2011: Winners

Squad

MS Dhoni (capt & wk), R Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Akshar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav



Fixtures

February 15, v Pakistan, Adelaide

February 22, v South Africa, Melbourne

February 28, v UAE, Perth

March 6, v West Indies, Perth

March 10, v Ireland, Hamilton

March 14, v Zimbabwe, Auckland






Game style


India's pace attack is the weakest among major teams. If their spinners are not effective, almost every match will bring extra pressure on the batsmen. Since no target is deemed safe, India normally prefer chasing; they don't want the bowlers to crumble during the decisive moments. Contrary to popular opinion, India will need spicy pitches to bring their bowlers into the game.

Otherwise they will remain spectators.



Prediction


It is hard to predict when the format is as relaxed as this World Cup's. All you need is three good matches - because your qualification for the knock-out rounds is all but a foregone conclusion - but if one were to stick one's neck out, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be the favourites for the semi-final.



World Cup stats






• India's batsmen have scored most ducks in World Cup matches - 48, followed by 47 each by England and Pakistan



• India is likely to enter the tournament with no batsman with 300 runs in World Cup matches. Virat Kohli has the highest with 282

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