Strengths: A line-up comprising Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya is as formidable as it gets. And there will be Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the dug-out in case there is a requirement to replace anyone due to rest or injury issues
Strengths: Shubman Gill's ODI form, with more than 1200 plus runs in the last year, has been the biggest plus and he didn't let the team feel the absence of a player of Shikhar Dhawan's calibre. Even more heartening is KL Rahul's full fitness, and the hundred against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023, which has been the biggest gain ahead of the World Cup 2023
Weaknesses: The spin bowling department might be looking good on paper but there is no way to judge how the two veterans Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will perform on the tracks that will be heavily loaded in favour of batters. Axar Patel's injury might have given India a chance to get a right-arm finger spinner in but dropping Yuzvendra Chahal, after carrying him in 50-over cricket for a better part of the last year and selecting three left-arm spinners does speak a lot about the lack of options. Inform, Kuldeep Yadav is expected to feature in every playing XI after his Asia Cup 2023 spin display
Opportunities: Home advantage is a reality even if it's an ICC event where the global body's curators are always doing a recce of various venues and conditions. In these conditions, Rohit Sharma will have the perfect setting and best chance of winning the World Cup. There will be heavy dew in some of the venues and if it comes down to chasing totals, there is no country like India which would make every other team have sleepless nights
Threats: Shreyas Iyer getting the likely chance above Ishan Kishan isn't the easiest of decisions. Kishan has performed every role assigned to him by the team management but now it seems that he might have to sit out as KL Rahul is set to keep wickets and bat at No.5. Dropping Ishan Kishan also means that the only left-handed option in the top five batters is dropped and there would be no variation in the top order in terms of making opposition bowlers think about changing the line of attack for every second delivery
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