Why is India favorite?
By,
Syed Ahsan Ali Stickiewicket.com
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
World Cup is just few days away, and the talk of the town is proclaiming favorites here and there as it happens always before big competitions. Experts and veterans of the game are coming up with myriad permutations. Number of ifs and buts are making their presence felt in the air. Injury lists are growing up with force with each iota of time. Assurances being spoken by the big names of the game. Victories of each and everyone are under microscope so clearer pictures can be seen and in the right perspective. It is nice to conjure up different options at a time when things look troublesome for prediction. Looking around with inquisitive facial expressions can hardly give you one clear favorite, and I think this is the best scenario for the game itself and for its lovers all round the globe.
Leave the task of picking out one clear favorite to the most scholarly people. Let’s try to find the most settled team in the pack. You may or may not agree with this hint, but India looks the most settled team presently. And that is certainly not because of their recent victories, but due to the fact that they are playing excellent cricket on the park.
When you talk about Indian chances, you get nod of approval from people about their batting immediately. They start talking at lengths about Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Sehwag, Yuvraj and Dhoni. Their averages, temperament, skill, class and belligerence becomes focal point of the entire discussions. All these great batsmen leave such indelible imprints on the mind of spectators that they turn into steam engine in full throttle with fuel of love and passion provided by their batting expertise, and you have to halt the march of that steam engine with available might at your disposal. Indian batsmen in full flight are feast to any cricket lover whether you are in Pakistan, Australia, England or anywhere else in cricket playing nations.
But I want to scream vociferously that Indian batting is never been a headache. They have always been world-beaters and they are and I hope they will. But unfortunately it is not their batting that makes them favorites. The biggest improvement is their bowling and that makes favorites this time around. Yeah, many of you must have remembered the beating Indian bowlers had got in the 2003 World Cup finals at the hands of Ponting and Martyn. If they had restricted Australia around 280 score mark, then India could have lifted trophy as their bowlers did against Pakistan in famous Centurion win.
Reason behind picking out India as favorite for major tournament is marked improvement in Indian bowling especially in slog overs. For me, Zaheer will be the man who can prove to be the good shepherd of this rejuvenated herd while lively Agarkar, determined Harbhajan and reliable Kumble are raring to do the staff job with precision. And in case Pathan finds his lost touch with the ball, then I do not know who will stop them from going to Barbados.
The only problem is having too many old arms in the outer-ring. Kumble, Ganguly, Tendulkar is a matter of only concern. Thing which can come for their convenience is existence of quite a shorter grounds in Caribbean. Throwing, running and keeping pace with the likes of Utthappa, Yuvraj and Dhoni will be a stiffer test for Fathers of the side. But the will to say the good-bye to the game with grace and glory can prove to be the impetus these elderly figures need, and you never know with the people of such stature. Great men always have something extra in their bags to show at crucial times as we seen with ageing Steve Waugh in 1999 and Imran Khan in 1992.
So, India is all set to spring few surprises at World stage which they can do lot better without sluggish dives and exhausted throwing efforts from deep portions of the grounds. But to me, India looks clear favorites with need of minor tunings here and there.
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