Former India captain and spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi tells DNA that Englishman Graeme Swann is probably the only spinner who attacks the batsman.

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Do you think going into the World Cup with three spinners is a luxury for India?We are definitely one spinner more in the side. But then, there should be justice done to all three is what I feel. Third one should not be a touring party member, since all three are different type of spinners. I mean, if you are taking three different spinners, then they should be given a chance to play once at least.

So spinners will be the key to team’s success…People calling the shots think spinners have a bigger role but that might not necessarily be the case. Teams coming from abroad will come with their stock full. Also, the whole exercise of picking up a spinner nowadays has become very negative. Majority of the spinners now bowl to keep a check on runs and contain batsmen, which I think should not be the case. I mean if you have batsmen of the calibre of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar or as attacking as Chris Gayle or Yusuf Pathan, you can’t contain them at all. They will score runs at their will and wish. You have to get their wickets. For that, somebody has to bowl consistently. To my mind, the only spinner doing that from the current lot is Graeme Swann. Among fast bowlers, James Anderson is one of the best in the business. Combining all that, England is one of the best bowling sides going into the tournament.

What about Indian bowlers?You see, they have to be fit first. Honestly, bowling is our weak link. To add to our woes, fielding is the weakest link of them all. This leaves us with no choice but to rely heavily on our batting. And luckily, we have a very strong batting line-up.

We have had a WC winning team, then a runners-up team, how far do you think this side can go?It is difficult to compare the three sides. But the most striking thing about the 1983-side was their athleticism. It was an outstanding fielding side and that made a big difference in the end. In the current side, about eight to 10 players are definitely not athletic at all. But I am sure the youngsters would make the most of the camps and get ready to play.

Which team has the best chance?I would obviously pray for India to win. I mean it’s time they do it for Sachin Tendulkar. The man has been India’s best in almost every World Cup. And in the last two years, his form has simply been outstanding. This probably is his last shot at the quadrennial showpiece. Therefore, they should all stand up and do it for him.

On a different note, this time around the World Cup is pretty open. India are obviously the favourites alongwith Sri Lanka. But it would be foolish to discount Australia. Look at the way they have come back in the ODI series against England. Though England have proved that they are world beaters and so are the South Africans, both the sides have never won a World Cup. So, they would be desperate to win it for the first time. And then, there is the enigmatic Pakistan side. So, it is very difficult to predict the winner.