The World Cup has eluded them since 1983 and on paper the Indian side wears an alarming look today.
Independently, every Indian player in the squad is a superstar; but to win a major tournament the team needs a combined effort.
They have a batting line-up which can make any country pompous. Virender Sehwag, a shock for any bowler on his day, and the in-form Gautam Gambhir, one among the finest openers in the game, are competent of giving India the electrifying start.
They are followed by five batsmen who can beat any bowling stabbing in the world….Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
These seven from the top are specialists in one-day cricket, having proved their caliber through some memorable knocks that have left many opponents amazed.
All that would be required of them is a partnership either at the top or in the middle that can accelerate the run rate to out-of-the-way magnitude.
If these seven are not enough to enlarge the total, there is even Harbhajan Singh, who has been quite effective as a hard-hitter these days. Even the pacers down to the last man are no rabbits with the bat. But the big question is: Can a team win based only on its batting potency?
Big weaknesses
India's bowling is their big weakness. Their pace attack is not accurate unlike others and have many a times struggled to contain batsmen, both at the start and even in the closing stages.
It is worth recalling here that India's 1983 World Cup winning team power was their exact medium pacers. Though it may be argued sub-continent wickets mainly assists spinners and that India will be able to contain the batsmen through their spin attack, but if two opposing batsmen at the top or a hard-hitting lower order batsman turns aggressive, then the Indian pacers will have to rise to the challenge to stem the run flow.
A huge total, if not backed by effective bowling, can upset any plan.
There are many who believe that India will be tough to beat at home, but one should not forget that India's World Cup record in the sub-continent has not been impressive.
Earlier on both occasions when the World Cup was held in the sub-continent, they failed to go past the semi-finals. India can make it to the quarter-finals provided they overcome the challenges in the knock-out stage on their home grounds.
So a winning start in the World Cup, in the first match of the tournament on February 19 against Bangladesh, on their home soil becomes very important.
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