Srini speaks on world cup teams-India. Review on Cricket

Feb 6 is the date that every indian in looking forward too..some of you might be wondering what is gonna happen that is going to lighten up all the indians together..well the cricket carnival is about to begin..The world cup fever is back and this time it is not soccer but CRICKET..it is cricket,cricket and only cricket..with the world cup round the corner it is important that I enlighten some of the ms memebers about all the teams taking part in the contest and who are the hot fvaourites..this is the first part of the 10 sequels that am gonna write undre this topic..so watch out..

Just for your information this world cup is being held in southafrica ,zimbabwe and kenya together..it spans over a period of a month and a half of fantastic cricket and I think south africa is just the right place for the tournament to be held becoz it does not rain in that part of the world in feb..so thankfully rain will not intervene and the result will be purely on the basis of the team's performance..so hear I start of with the most popular team in world cricket-INDIA..

New zealand might destroyed indian hopes of winning a series abroad but in one day cricket India rules..India cricket team in the recent past has performed wonderfully well with the youngsters coming off the age at the right time..well I will say it all started this year when India defeated england in the finals of the natwest trophy under tremendous pressure..and guess what?Sachin'scontribution with the bat was not all that great.this is great news for indian cricket..and this not the only instance when india has chased a target of over 300 in recent times..it has a done ot a couple of times and innumerable times in excess of 250..chasing which at one stage was considered the chink in its armour has become its greatest strength..so we shall go about analysing the team that has hit a purple patch in the shorter version of the game..

BATTINGwell has india ever failed to produce quality batsmen..it was Vijay hazare during the pre war period,Sunil gavaskar during the post war period and Sachin tendulkar in the recent times.India has always managed to unearth raw talent right from the early cricketing days..and this indian yeam has no lackof them..it has batsmen of the calibre of Sachin,sourav,rahul and sehwag who can destroy any bowling attack on their day and god forbid the score board for the opponent when all these batsmen click together..it will be an absolute run riot..they they most formiddable batting lineupe in world cricket(at least on paper and from the recent perfromances) and about the youngsters wha can I say?they have inspired the seniors to rise their game..ok skill is there agreed??what about the attitude that is as essential an ingrediant as the talent itself..Ganguly has a changed the entire attitude completely..he leads by example and leads aggressively and commands respect form his teammates as well..the indian btsmen do not oanic at any stage of the game as he has instilled confidence in them that can be match winnerss and this was clear when two youngsters together calmly but steadily win the hitoric natwest final..but then we have not faced the australian bowling in the recent which as destructive as the indian batting line up and they are brutal and ruthless..so we can take nothing for granted..

BOWLINGit has always been the chink in india's armour..indian spinners are effective only on the placis pitches of the sub continent and have taken a punding on foriegn soil..and as far fast bowlers are concerned india has seriously lacked a genuine fats fastbowler..a bowler with let me say a 90 mile ball..well that would be real great but india has a never produced fast bowlers as the pitches on which they toil is not conducive for fast bowling and with the pounding they get they disheartened easily..here is a point that the governing body should tke note off..make the bowlers a bi bowler friendly..only then will we get most fast bowlers.but the present team has a wonderfully gifted left arm seamer,a brilliant off spinner and lots of experince to guide them around..Zaheer khan is the left arm seamer am talking about.wonderful accuracy,decent pace are his trimph cards and he has got that deadly yorker..and the natural angle of his ball sliding across the batsmen makes him even more dedlier..and the offie is improving every day..he has so much variety in his bowling that he can bowl a different ball in an over..such is the skill of this bloke..both these are very are very aggressive and have a new dimension to the indian bowling..a attack to be reckoned with.not deadly but effective though..

FIELDINGThe indians are the least athletic in the cricketing world..probably in the genes..but then we have a few exceptional fielders in kaif,yuvraj and sehwag who can win matches just by their wonderful catching..and rahul as the keeper has a been decent but you relly can not blame him..he is a selfless and commited cricketer who will even put his life on the line if the team needs it..

on the whole indians have just found the winning combination..so india can deadly on its day..with the youngster maturing at the right time tink we have to harnes them properly and I think Ganguly is the right person to do so..a skipper who leads by example..so india is definetely one of the favourites..i would put it after Austarlia and Southafrica..

players to watch out for:Sachin,Ganguly,Sehwag,Zaheer