ICC World Cup 2019, India SWOT analysis - Kohli, Bumrah hold the key

With a powerful batting lineup, power-hitting all-rounders and bowlers capable of taking early wickets and strangling sides through the middle and at the end of an innings it would not surprise if India did clinch their third title.

After India beat Sri Lanka in the final of the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai, Virat Kohli hoisted Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders for a victory lap, declaring the batting maestro deserved it after carrying the burden of the nation for over two decades.

India's captain Virat Kohli, center, and Jasprit Bumrah (AP)

For someone who has been shouldering the same burden since Tendulkar’s 2013 retirement, Kohli would merit a similar treatment if he can inspire a triumphant campaign in the ICC World Cup 2019 in England.

With a powerful batting lineup, power-hitting all-rounders and bowlers capable of taking early wickets and strangling sides through the middle and at the end of an innings it would not surprise if the side did clinch their third title.

In a Nutshell

Best Performance: Winners: 1983, 2011

Highest team score: 413/5 vs Bermuda, Port of Spain, 2007

Leading run-scorer: Sachin Tendulkar (2278)

Leading wicket-taker: Zaheer Khan/Javagal Srinath (44)

Highest score: Sourav Ganguly (183) vs Sri Lanka, Taunton, 1999

Best bowling figures: Ashish Nehra (6/23) vs England, Durban, 2003

Best partnership: 318 for the 2nd wicket by Dravid/Ganguly vs Sri Lanka, 1999

Kohli’s side have form and history behind them, having reached the final of the last two global events in England.

Under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, they won the 2013 Champions Trophy and then finished runners-up when they returned four years later with Kohli as the skipper.

India, however would face tough competition from hosts England and Australia.

STRENGTH

Top order: India boast the best top order (Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli) in the tournament. India’s top order has scored the most runs (13055 runs) since the 2015 World Cup.

Spinners: Spin Trio (R Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav & Yuzvendra Chahal) are consistent in their bowling. India has the most wickets (517 wkts) when at least one of the 3 has played since CWC 2015.

WEAKNESS

Middle Order: India’s soft underbelly India are overdependent on the likes of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan & Rohit Sharma to play the long innings and score big. The Indian top order has scored most (13055) runs among rest teams. India’s middle order has 6th highest (7025) runs scored by middle order.

No. 4 Lottery: The no. 4 conundrum has cast doubts over the stability of the middle order with the recent series defeat against Australia not solving the matter (if anything, compounding the issue).

OPPORTUNITY

Bench Strength: The bench strength can fill in the shoes when needed if/for injuries during long duration tournament.

Hardik & Jasprit: Hardik Pandya & Jasprit Bumrah with their current form provide the team with cutting edge. Currently Bumrah is the top ranked ODI bowler.

THREATS

Unsettled line-up: India has tried many combinations for the middle order batting. India has tried 24 players in Middle

order, 2nd most players in middle order after Sri Lanka 31.

Lack of out-and-out pacers: India has entered CWC 19 with 3 pacers (M Shami, Bhuvneshwar K & J Bumrah) for the tournament in England where the wicket has something for pacers.

India play two warm-up games against New Zealand and Bangladesh before taking on South Africa in their World Cup 2019 opener on June 5.

India World Cup Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik