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Indian Cricket Team. (Photo Source: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images)
India are busy with their three-match One-Day International (ODI) series assignment against Australia just a few weeks ahead of the 2023 World Cup. Following the ongoing series, the Men in Blue will kick off their campaign on October 8, 2023, against Pat Cummins-led Australia in the upcoming event. Prior to the 2023 World Cup, India are favourites to win the title as they have played quality cricket in the ODI format in recent times under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.
Recently, they played the Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka with their full-strength side and succeeded in clinching the coveted trophy. The incredible victory in the continental tournament corroborates India’s domination in sub-continent conditions. As the 2023 World Cup will be played in India, the hosts are favourites to bag the trophy and there are some facts as well which are making their case strong.
Discussing more, here are the five reasons why India might win the upcoming World Cup
1. Home advantage
India’s one-day record has been exceptional in the last few years. In the last 10 years, the Men in Blue have lost only three ODI series at home. This year, they started their home season with confidence, whitewashing New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the ODI series. After the New Zealand series, they lost a three-match ODI series against the Aussies in March but it doesn’t impact their chance in the upcoming event.
Back in 2011, India took advantage of home conditions as one of the hosts in the World Cup. This time, the entire World Cup will be hosted by India so the team’s supporters are expecting their side to repeat their 2011 performance under Rohit’s leadership.
As hosts, India will receive massive support from their home crowd which could work as a confidence booster for players. Apart from that, Rohit and Co. are familiar with the local conditions as well. Being the hosts in the tournament can work well in India’s favour.
2. Strong spin attack
Spinners might be seen having a great time in the upcoming World Cup as Indian pitches are the best known for assisting bowlers who can turn the ball. In the upcoming World Cup, India’s spin-bowling unit can be considered the best. The spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav can make batters dance to their tunes.
Axar Patel’s form with the ball is a matter of concern for the team management but the experience of Jadeja and Kuldeep is enough to frighten the visiting teams. Kuldeep looked in excellent touch in the 2023 Asia Cup. Grabbing nine wickets in four innings of five matches, he made a pivotal contribution to India’s eighth trophy win in the continental tournament.
Jadeja, who will spearhead India’s spin department, possesses the capability to wreak havoc on batters with his extraordinary bowling skills. On home soil, the veteran has picked up 92 wickets in 66 outings at an economy of 4.86. These impactful numbers prove that the 34-year-old can cause problems for opponents.
3. Experienced campaigners in the team
India have a lot of experienced players in the squad who have been playing ODI cricket for more than seven years. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami are some veterans who have more than 10 years of experience in one-day cricket and have featured in two or more World Cup editions.
Virat, the former India skipper, was also a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning side and his experience will play a vital role in India’s upcoming World Cup campaign. While Rohit will look to lead the team from the front. In the 2019 World Cup, Rohit ended up as the leading run-scorer with 648 runs in nine matches. This time, he will back himself to deliver an impactful performance as batter and skipper.
Mohammed Shami will also strive to showcase his mettle with the ball to support India’s pace attack along with Jasprit Bumrah, who has more than seven years of experience in ODI cricket. Along with these veterans, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul will also add value to the team with their skills and cricketing knowledge as both are serving the side for a long time.
4. Rohit Sharma’s excellent leadership skills
Rohit Sharma will not only be seen as a batter in the upcoming World Cup but also as one of the favourite captains to bag the Trophy. Rohit, who recently guided India to the Asia Cup 2023 triumph with his leadership talent, will be expected to exhibit his best side as a captain in the 2023 World Cup again. As a skipper, Rohit has captained two multi-nation tournaments so far.
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, India ended their journey in the semi-final while in this year’s Asia Cup, the Men in Blue outplayed their opponents and emerged as winners of the competition. Rohit’s captaincy record is impressive on home soil as he has lost only one series in local conditions as a skipper since taking over the responsibility in December 2021.
The 36-year-old has captained the national side in 33 matches and has won 24 and lost just eight. In the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), Rohit has won five trophies for Mumbai Indians (MI) which made him the best candidate to lead the team after Virat Kohli’s period in white-ball cricket in 2021.
5. Fine fast-bowing unit
India’s pace battery will be one of the best in the upcoming World Cup. The fierce fast-bowling unit has talented speedsters such as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur. Bumrah, who stayed away from the sport for more than a year, made a comeback in ODI cricket with his attendance at the Asia Cup 2023.
India’s pace bowling lead Bumrah is known for his ferocious speed and variations. In the Asia Cup 2023, eyes were set on the veteran’s performance and he didn’t disappoint the team and fans. Bagging four wickets in four matches at an economy of 4.17, he indicated that he is all set to go out as a threat for batters in the 2023 World Cup.
Shami, who is the most experienced pacer in the squad, will be expected to make a vital contribution. Siraj, who will play his first World Cup edition, will strive to be impactful with the ball. In the 2023 Asia Cup, he ended up as the second-leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps in four innings of five contests. Appearing in the final game against Sri Lanka, he donned the role of a wrecker-in-chief, picking up 6/21 figures. Along with these three main pacers, Shardul Thakur also has the potential to bamboozle batters with his clever bowling.
