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Bowling-light India are long shots for World Cup glory

Virat Kohli continues to amaze fans. (AFP PHOTO/ PUNIT PARANJPE)
Expert
26th January, 2015
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India are considered by many to be a strong chance of winning the World Cup. Yet their feeble bowling attack means India’s batsmen will have to run amok for them to triumph.

India do not have a single world-class bowler – someone capable of turning a game in a matter of overs with their brilliance.

The two main contenders for the World Cup have at least two such bowlers. Australia boast Mitchell Johnson and Mitch Starc. South Africa have Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

Even New Zealand, who most people have on equal pegging with India, have Mitchell McClenaghan and Tim Southee who, while not in the class of that aforementioned quartet, are still capable of scything through sides.

England might be considered far less likely to win the World Cup than India, but in Australian conditions they are as well placed as India to make waves at the tournament.

They may not possess the same level of batting firepower but in James Anderson and Stuart Broad they have a pair of accomplished and highly-skilled quicks who on their day can shame even the strongest of batting line-ups.

These players can shift momentum when all seems lost or can help you defend a low total. Who can India turn to in such situations?

They have two players in the top 10 of the ICC’s ODI player rankings – left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The problem for India is that both Jadeja and Kumar require conditions to be in their favour to trouble batsmen.

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If the pitch is dusty and offering turn and bounce Jadeja is a handful. If the ball is swinging significantly, so too is Kumar.

But Jadeja doesn’t possess the skill and variety of a Saeed Ajmal or Sunil Narine to test opponents in all conditions. Neither does Kumar have the pace or bounce of Johnson, Starc, Steyn or Morkel to remain potent when the ball is not swinging.

The Indian who may have the potential to bowl them to victories is seamer Mohammed Shami. While horrendously expensive throughout the recent Tests against Australia, he did display an ability to make breakthroughs on Australian pitches.

As India’s leading wicket taker in ODIs last year, he could be their most important player at the World Cup. Capable of swinging the ball at 140kmh-plus when in good rhythm, Shami will need to have a big tournament to paper over the cracks in India’s attack.

For them to win the tournament, it seems they will have to set or chase massive totals consistently.

Their bowling attack is not effective enough either to confidently defend less than 300 or to limit powerful batting line-ups like Australia or South Africa to less than that.

This places enormous pressure on India’s three key batsmen – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. So talented are that trio that if they all flourish in the World Cup India will be a massive threat. On the flipside, if even one of them struggles it is hard to see India even making the final, let alone lifting the cup.

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Kohli is arguably the best ODI batsman in the world, alongside AB de Villiers, while a case can be made that Dhoni is the best ODI player of all time.

Rohit made a wonderful 138 against Australia recently but still has a lot to prove outside of the ridiculously-flat pitches of the subcontinent. In ODIs in India he averages 66, compared to 29 in away matches.

Kohli, Dhoni, Rohit and Shami – this quartet hold India’s hopes. Their lack of other potential match winners, particularly with the ball, leaves them poorly placed to knock off heavyweights Australia and South Africa.

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