India primed for success in World T20

THE OUTLOOK:

MS Dhoni's Indian team is the team to beat in the ICC World T20, 2016. Everything points towards a successful campaign for the side. Familiarity of home conditions is an added advantage to a side that has been in excellent form in T20Is in the build-up to the premier event. For a team that boasts of the premier T20 league in the world, the side's performances in World T20 hasn't quite mirrored the expectations. They won the inaugural event in 2007 and were the finalists last time around in 2014 but in the three editions in between, they failed to make it to the knockout stages. This time around, the squad looks a settled one with more all-rounders suited to the conditions. With the momentum behind them, they are the firm favorites to make it to the knockout stages at least.

ICYMI:

India has won 10 out of their last 11 T20Is, which includes three successive series wins. However, they were still beaten by a dynamic South African side in one of the warm-ups of the ICC World T20. What is also masked in that stat is that Australia and Sri Lanka played without some of their key players against India while the latter were playing at full strength.

KEY POINTS:

SHAMI or NO SHAMI?

Mohammad Shami's fitness has been a huge concern for India. The pacer was one of India's leading bowlers in the limited overs format before a thigh? injury forced him out of action. He's been picked in the World T20 squad and even featured in the warm-up games but will head into the tournament with no other significant match practice. If he is picked in the final eleven, it will still be a matter of concern if he can pull through the entire tournament without breaking down again.

CAN THE KEY MEN DELIVER AGAIN?

India have largely stuck to the same combination in T20Is. A large part of the credit for their success recently has been because of a potent pace attack. Ashish Nehra and Jasprit Bumrah were left-field selections, but have proved to be informed ones. Can the duo manage to replicate its success again, and consistently so? Bumrah's unique action proved difficult to gauge for those who faced him for the first time but by now teams would have studied his strengths and weaknesses thoroughly. The World T20 might be the occasion where his honeymoon period comes to an end and it will be interesting to see if he can step it up. Ashish Nehra has been wrapped in cotton wool right throughout. The pacer goes through his own set of fitness routines separately and has managed to sustain it well so far. Can he push through for another month?

STRENGTHS

A well-rounded team is the result of a lot of planning. India have match-winners in every batting slot up to No. 7 and a bowling combination that is just the perfect mix needed for the conditions at play. They've also been on a diet of T20Is for two months prior to the World T20 and so there is no problem of getting into groove. That their homework has been exemplary cannot be ignored. The transition between planning and execution has also been largely successful with all the squad members getting enough time on the field to showcase their skills as well as gaining confidence. The meticulous planning indicates that there were firm and clear plans and that bodes well for any team approaching a tournament of such nature.

WEAKNESS

In a very short span of time, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have become indispensable members of the playing eleven. A lot rides on the back of two rookies for India and if either of them pull up short under pressure, there is no real back-up option available for Dhoni to feel comfortable. Pandya's mix of hard-hitting middle-order batsman and medium-pacer makes him only one of the kind in the team. Similarly, Bumrah's expertise at the death with his yorkers has also increased Dhoni's dependence on him. In a tightly knit attack such as India's, the unravelling could also come about quite quickly.

FORM

No other team in the tournament boasts of such success in the format in the build-up to the main event. India beat Australia 3-0, then dismantled a second-string Sri Lankan side at home before going on to register five successive wins to clinch the Asia Cup. What this has done is boost the confidence of the team to a level where they believe that 2016 is theirs.

SPOTLIGHT'S ON:

Rohit Sharma - The opener's tremendous run of form is sometimes overshadowed by the consistency of Virat Kohli. While Kohli has taken his T20 game to another level by playing orthodox shots, on acid, so has Rohit Sharma, who now seems to have mastered the art of pacing an innings in limited-overs games. That he comes in as an opener allows him to control the tempo of the innings as well and Rohit has, time and again, managed to beat tricky conditions to give India an edge.

GROUP STAGE SCHEDULE:

Mar 15, Tuesday: vs New Zealand, Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur

Mar 19, Saturday: vs Pakistan, Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Mar 23, Wednesday: vs Bangladesh, M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Mar 27, Sunday: vs Australia, Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali

EXPERT OPINION:

India has the toughest group. If Bangladesh qualify, they can also trouble the hosts. I think Australia and New Zealand will be the toughest games. But I will give the Indian side the edge over Australia thanks to their series win recently. The only team I'm concerned about for India is New Zealand. India's record against Pakistan in 100%, so I will not be too concerned about them. The only concern is New Zealand - they are a dangerous side: Virender Sehwag.

BOTTLOMLINE:

Despite a few minor concerns, India is probably the mightiest force to reckon with in the competition. They are not placed in the easiest of groups as well but given their form, India should be able to make it through to the knockout stages without any hiccups. Anything less than that will be termed as a disappointment considering the expectations that the team has managed to build.

PREDICTION: Winner