Bookies are still favoring India even after pathetic T20 World Cup performance. Media is not particularly favoring any team. I will go with the bookies even though WI has lot of positives to bank upon:
- India's premier players are not playing - Tendulkar, Sehwag, Zaheer and Raina are nursing injuries.
- WI is going into the series with lot of confidence after dumping Australia and India out of T20 World Cup and reaching semis.
- Fatigue of Indian players or as proclaimed by media after poor performance in T20 World Cup.
Let's analyze the perceived positives. It is true that absence of key players will hurt India but it will also reduce fatigue factor. Zaheer and Raina were important members of T20 World Cup but they are replaced by fresh legs. More than the physical fatigue, mental fatigue hurt India in T20 World Cup. That too will be reduced by introduction of new players. Moreover there are many strong contenders for a place in team India. Excerpt from one of my earlier posts
Beyond the bench - Players like Karthink, Nehra, Munaf, Mishra, Balaji are not in the 15 member squad. These players performed exceptionally well in recently concluded IPL and have donned India colours before; they can walk in any other international side based on their performance. Alas! There is no space for them in Indian team. And I am not talking about the other young guns who also performed well in IPL but do not have the international exposure. Surely they will put positive pressure on the players in world cup squad.
More than anything else T20 and one dayers are different games and not for nothing India are placed close 3rd in ICC ranking whereas WI are placed poor 8th. India has lost just 3 dead games in last 18 one dayers. Dhoni's comments sums up everything Indian team reaches Jamaica
West Indies is playing good cricket at the moment. They are having a very good World Twenty20 tournament, but in the 50 overs, you have time to settle down."
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