India vs West Indies in ICC World Cup 2011 : India look to regain strength

Indian Cricket team is now feeling the pressure of the expectations of its over 100 crores fans. Team would have to do everything right in every match they play starting from competition against West Indies today as it is very important to go into knock outs with positive frame of mind and win this cup from there onwards, not for nation, not for fans, even not for themselves but for the legendary Tendulkar who has been fighting for the last 22 years to witness the moment.

Amidst of all this, reports of coming up about a fracas between the president elect of the BCCI and the chief selector ranged on one side and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the other over the composition of the team to play the West Indies in Chennai on Sunday?

Indian cricket, I would like to believe, however, has moved ahead from such feudalism since. In the present situation, talk of this whole ‘Chennai connection’ between the president-elect, the chief selector, the captain and two players seems just too pat.

I must qualify though that I write this on surmise based on what’s appeared in the media and with no first-hand information. If indeed, the agenda of the celebrated meeting in Chennai conforms to speculation, then my vote goes clearly to Dhoni. Once the squad has been chosen, the captain takes over as the custodian. For better or for worse will, of course, determine his future.

Four weeks into the World Cup, the line-up of teams for the quarter-final is still uncertain (at least from Group B), but the future of the one-day game seems secure.

In fact, it would be fair to say that because of the first premise, the second is true. One tied game, two upsets (Ireland and Bangladesh both beating England), a couple of last-over finishes and several close matches have captured the imagination of the spectators and viewers while leaving the suspense and tension about qualifiers lingering till the very end.

Stadiums have been jampacked wherever India has played, but there have been decent crowds to watch other major teams play too. As I write this, the Wankhede Stadium appears more than three fourths full for the New Zealand-Sri Lanka match. Considering that tickets have not come cheap, this is a very healthy turnout.

From the quarter-finals, I reckon there will be capacity crowds everywhere. Television ratings suggest that viewership has been the highest ever for any World Cup – but for key matches, not those involving some of the weaker teams. The performance of the minnow teams has been spirited, but the argument against so many of them being part of such a significant tournament does not get any weaker for that. Ten teams seems the optimum for 2015.

Before the start of this tournament, concern over the one-day game was widespread. It hardly needs reiterating that the Twenty20 format has been so engaging – for fans and sponsors – that it had become invasive, eating massively into the turf of ODIs. The T20 format – and the IPL certainly — cannot be wished away. But this World Cup has offered a lifeline to the one-day game. It was thought that ODIs had become predictable and boring, but with greater use of technology and innovations like Batting Powerplays, fresh life has been infused into the 50-50 game.

India will looking to regain its strength by introducing its well awaited trump card Ashwin in the tie against West Indies. Looking at the performances of all the other teams, I must say India is not far behind we just need to save some runs with our 4th mainstream bowler and that is only struggling point. Batting doing very fine and hopefully will be putting up a even better show. Zaheer doing well, Munaf doing fine with new ball but not fit to bowl death overs. Bhajji looking to come back in form. Fielding would remain the same as captain has already outlined.