JOIN USFor the next one and half months, our living rooms will buzz with the cricket World Cup action. India certainly have a good chunk of following of other sporting events like the football leagues across the world, F1 and the NBA. But none of them matches up to cricket, and that craze reaches its zenith during the flagship cricketing event every four years. In 2011, millions of Indian fans lived the ultimate dream when M S Dhoni and his band grabbed the title in Mumbai after a gap of 28 years. Now, they will be hoping for their team to do an encore Down Under and defend the title.
But the signs are not promising. The Indians went winless in Tests against Australia, and in the triangular series that also involved England coming to the quadrennial big bash. In fact, their only win thus far in the Antipodeans was against minnows Afghanistan in a warm-up game. Dhoni looks a tad jaded as captain, runs from Virat Kohli’s willow has now become a trickle from cascade, and Indian bowlers being belted around the stadium at will. But Indians have this habit of upping their game in global tournaments, win an event when nobody gives them a real chance to go the distance. They had pulled off such Houdini acts in the World T20 in 2007 and in the Champions Trophy in 2013. Can they do it again? Their supporters will be hoping for it.
But that is just one part of the tale. There are other cricketers who can thrill your senses with high quality cricket. South Africa features at the top of that list.
They have players such as AB de Villiers, owner of the fastest one-day hundred, Dale Steyn, easily the best fast bowler of our generation and certainly a future member of the legend’s club, the stylish Hashim Amla and the explosive David Miller. If they can hold their nerve at crucial situations then the Proteas will be an unstoppable force. Hosts Australia are a raging favourite in their home conditions, while England under new ODI skipper Eoin Morgan could be a threat on their day. But watch out for New Zealand. They have been the most impressive team in the run-up to the World Cup. In Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Trent Boult they have some of the best and in-form contemporary cricketers. It will not be a huge surprise if they stand at the winner’s podium at Mebourne on April 2. But let’s leave all those thoughts and discussions behind us, and enjoy some pulsating cricket.