The journey of Indian cricket has been a long and tedious one, with many ups and downs. From being played by Britishers to being played by kids on streets, cricket has become the game of masses. Over the years, many stalwarts of the game have risen from this country and left spectators in awe with their performances.
The Cricket World Cup is the greatest prize that a cricketing nation could possibly win and hence, it is the most fiercely contested one as well. India has won the coveted trophy on two previous occasions, in 1983 and in 2011.
The Indian team has been considered as one of the finest teams in world cricket, since quite a few years. The team has an almost unbreakable unity and a winning mentality, that enables them to perform well on the pitch in all departments. A lot of experts back the Men in Blue to lift the trophy in Lord’s Stadium on 14th of July, 2019.
Here’s why India can lift the 2019 world cup:-
- X- Factor as Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya is going into the world cup with his flamboyant IPL 12 performance. He scored 402 runs at the strike rate of 191 and also complemented his performance with 14 wickets at the strike rate of 18. He might as well be team India’s X-factor during the world cup by playing the role of a finisher while also being the third seamer by consistently bowling at 135 kmph. He’s also a spectacular fielder and we might as well get hold of some bangers out in the deep. He is also capable of saving many runs in the deep. His form will be key for India’s performance during the world cup.
- Form of batsmen in the team
Shikhar Dhawan scored 521 runs in IPL 2019 at an average of 35. Virat Kohli scored 464 runs at an average of 34. MS Dhoni scored 416 runs at a mammoth average of 83 this season alongside a belligerent hundred against Bangladesh in the 2nd warmup. The probable one for the no. 4 spot, KL Rahul, also was scintillating touch this IPL, scoring 593 runs at the average of 54, while also smacking a hundred in the warmup against Bangladesh. The only concern for India is Rohit Sharma’s slump in the IPL, where he scored only at an average of 26.
- Brilliant bowling lineup
It has been very rare that India can boast about a brilliant bowling lineup in an ICC tournament, but India has a formidable bowling lineup this world cup. Bumrah is back after a wonderful IPL, picking up 19 wickets at just 6.63 runs per over. Yuzvendra Chahal has picked 18 wickets at strike of just 16. It’s only Kuldeep Yadav’s form which might perturb captain Kohli but he solved it all by picking 3/48 against Bangladesh.
As India and England emerge out to be the most balanced and sorted teams, they also emerge out to be the favourites. Still, the possibility of a dark horse is present. All one can say is that the team with the best players that wins, and not the the ‘supposedly’ best team.
Shalv Srivastava
Class XI
Shiv Nadar School, Gurugram
