India World Cup profile: Virat Kohli's world-class top three carry hopes for men in blue

Ajit Vijaykumar 10:26 25/05/2019
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  • Virat Kohli.

    India are the No2 ranked ODI team in the world and enter the 2019 World Cup just behind hosts England in the favourites list to lift the title.

    On paper, India have a fine first-choice team – world class top three of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, hard-hitting all-rounder Hardik Pandya and the greatest white-ball mind in keeper MS Dhoni. Plus a bowling attack that has Jasprit Bumrah and two brilliant wrist spinners in Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav and which is capable of taking 10 wickets every game.

    But there are issues as well. A fragile middle order, injury to key all-rounder Kedar Jadhav plus the sudden loss of form of Kuldeep in the IPL means India are not on as strong a footing as they were some time last year.

    Their record in 2018 was outstanding – 14 wins and four defeats. India capped the season by remaining unbeaten during their tour of Australia but just when they hoped to have plugged all holes, Kohli’s boys lost a tough ODI series at home to Australia earlier this year.

    If their first-choice players remain fit, India have a formidable Playing XI and a great Plan ‘A’. Kohli and Co will be hoping that not even one piece comes loose.

    Record: Champions in 1983, 2011

    Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav

    Pandya is arguably India's most valuable player.

    Pandya is arguably India’s most valuable player.

    Strength: India’s top three batsmen and pace ace Bumrah are about as good as you can possibly get at the highest level. If three of those four fire, India are guaranteed to win. In many ways, India will rely almost exclusively on the top three batsmen to score runs and Bumrah to remain fit and firing until July.

    Weakness: The middle order has long been India’s concern. It’s not even clear what it will look like throughout the tournament. The decision to not pick Rishabh Pant has robbed them of a power player. Also, they have a fairly long tail no matter what combination they pick.

    Player to watch: Hardik Pandya can win the game on his own – with bat or ball. If he remains fit, he will be the pivot around which the Indian team will turn. In many ways, the most valuable member of the team.

    Surprise package: Mohammed Shami has raised his game dramatically in the last season. So brilliant was his pace and intensity during the Test series in England and Australia that he burst his way into the ODI playing XI. Can be the X-Factor.

    Prediction: Final

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