So it seems everyone wants to anoint India as favorites for the T20 World Championship. It’s a nice thought but it can be a poisoned chalice. In recent times, only Australia have worn that tag well and as recently as a few days ago the final of the IPL was contested by two teams who weren’t on anyone’s short list! The longer the game the greater the chance the favorites will come through. If football was played over 20 minutes Manchester United and Barcelona may not have been in the final.

Having said that, India seem to possess the right kind of players; young fellows who get on with it with hardly an eye on the scoreboard. That is the way in this game — one of the most thrilling moments of the IPL was when Sehwag and Dilshan smashed the Deccan Chargers around from a scoreboard that read 0-2! But to be able to do that teams must, ideally, bat deep and that is where India are well served.

The ideal way to go about it is to have five batsmen, a keeper and a batting all-rounder in the top 7. If there is a second batting all-rounder in that mix, it is even better. No 8 must necessarily be a bowling all-rounder and of the three bowlers, one should be able to bat. India’s top seven are well served on this parameter with Sehwag, Gambhir, Raina, Yuvraj, Rohit Sharma, Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan. Irfan Pathan must be No 8 and with Harbhajan likely to get in, the batting looks like it has enough to counter most situations.

... contd.