The critical moments in a game have to be, firstly, won by individuals. The crucial run-outs, vital catches and clinical finishes all come from individuals.
I have often been asked: What does it take to win a World Cup. Cricket, no doubt, is a team game but the matches are won by individuals. By individual brilliance.
The critical moments in a game have to be, firstly, won by individuals. The crucial run-outs, vital catches and clinical finishes all come from individuals.
Besides, the World Cup is a long campaign. So everything, from sickness to injury and the general well being, plays a part. You got to have a good team, you got to enjoy each other’s company. That’s what has been the making of the last two World Cups for us. We loved each other’s company and we had a ball. We were working very hard together as a unit and we enjoyed the work.
The Indian team should concentrate on simple things. They should back their abilities and enjoy the whole experience of the World Cup. It comes and goes quickly. Enjoy the success of various individuals because they are going to have outstanding success during the championship. To me, the World Cup is such a special tournament and it is there to really enjoy and I know MS Dhoni will get his troops together.
Besides a good leader in MS, India have a pretty settled unit. They have a mix of experience and power in Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina. Up the order, Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir will help Tendulkar finish the innings.
Australia may not have the likes of Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchirst but they have Shane Watson, who has proven himself right through from the IPL to his performances in the summer.
He is up for the World Cup. There was a question mark over his ability to bat through and win a game. He has done that this summer. I think Watson is hard to compare with Gilchrist but Brad Haddin does a very good job with the bat. He is a big striker of the ball and a handy wicketkeeper. There are enough players to cover.
There are concerns for us in the spin department but we have won the last two World Cups without Shane Warne. So, someone like Steve Smith has to look for inspiration from someone like Brad Hogg to realise that he could well be the dark horse in the Australian side. He has got the potential to show power.
Many talk of Ricky Ponting’s form but it is not a concern for me. Like Tendulkar a year ago, Ricky is going through a bit of a lean patch. He is a great player and he can come out of the patch at any stage. He is one of the three finest players of my era, with Lara and Tendulkar. So, there is no doubt that he is the right man to lead the side.
Besides, Ricky, Brett Lee and Watson are the other key players. If I can say one more, then it has to be Smith. We have a pretty good mixture of all-rounders like Watson and Smith. Even someone like David Hussey could play a role. Besides, we’re a good fielding side and a disciplined outfit.
We also have a very good pace attack. Lee is back in form. He knows how to win. He is hungry because he hasn’t played much cricket lately. He can really lead the bowlers. They go into the tournament with a very good side. They have got confidence, after the recent wins.
Sri Lanka are the dark horses because they naturally learnt a lot from the last World Cup. They got smashed by us in the finals but again that was just coming down to one innings of Gilchrist — the most destructive knock in the World Cup history.
Today, they are just a better side. They have some handy spinners, well, better than handy spinners. Their spin bowling is better than Australia’s and probably
India’s as well.
South Africa again, for similar reasons to Australia, have got a fiery pack attack in Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.
I think Botha is a very solid bowler and may bat well. Good leadership from Graeme Smith makes them a strong side.
I’m not very convinced of England. They are a little bit vulnerable in these conditions. They have had a big summer of cricket as well. The Ashes has taken a lot of mental energy out of them. They may not be at their best during the World Cup. Besides, they have not done too well in the subcontinent.
—As told to Vijay Tagore
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