Hyderabad: Team India is being dubbed as one of the strongest contenders for the 2019 World Cup trophy. In the wee hours of Wednesday Virat Kohli and Co flew to England in quest of their third title. Since India have played sensational cricket in 2018-19 at overseas conditions the Men in Blue will be very much in the competition to win the coveted title.
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With World Cup just a week away, ETV Bharat comes up with players who could emerge as stars of Team India at the end of the tournament.
These players are expected to be the bearer of India's hope in the England and Wales World Cup.
Virat Kohli
All eyes will be on the captain of Indian team Virat Kohli who is undoubtedly the best batsman of his era. Though Kohli observed a horrid time in the recently concluded IPL. However, his form and ability to shoulder the pressure of his team make him the most important cog of the Indian XI.
The entire nation will hope Kohli fire at the quadrennial event and bring the World Cup back home.
Rohit Sharma
Rohit is known as 'Hitman' for his big hitting. The 32-year-old is regarded as a player of big events. When he gets going he is unstoppable. Bowlers often fell perry to his penchant for playing swashbuckling innings.
His partnership with Shikhar Dhawan will be crucial to India's success in the World Cup.
Shikhar Dhawan
Like Rohit, Dhawan is also known as a big event player. Dhawan has also delivered in England on previous occasions. He has a natural ability to read the line and length of the delivery early, which allows him to create a space for him for any shot.
Captain Kohli would be seriously hoping Dhawan and Rohit reach pinnacle during the World Cup in England.
Kuldeep and Chahal- The mystery wrists
The 28-year-old right-arm spinner has been a regular face in the limited-overs setup for India. Chahal's partnership with Kuldeep Yadav holds key to India's bid to keep oppositions under check in the middle overs.
Chahal will look to continue his rich form of IPL in England. In seven matches, he took 11 wickets. He has an enviable record against South Africa which makes him sure shot for India's World Cup opener on 5 June.
In contrast to Chahal's form in IPL, Yadav leaked a lot of runs while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. But, his ability to complement Chahal makes him a vital cog of the team. This chinaman spinner will also create fear among batsmen at the wet English conditions. As the wickets in England are expected to be slow, the left-arm spinner will be another lethal weapon in India's arsenal.
Jasprit Bumrah
There is already a lot of talks regarding India's leading fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Former Australia speedster Jeff Thomson sent a warning to the batsmen by saying that the Indian pacer can 'burn the opposition with raw pace'.
In England's swing-friendly conditions Bumrah will be Kohli's best bet to acquire early breakthrough as his banana swing with sheer pace will pose a big threat to opponents.
The right-arm pacer has so far taken 85 wickets from just 49 ODI matches at an astounding average of 22.15.
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Since he has had a poor outing in the 2017 Champions Trophy with four wickets in five matches at an average of 50 he will be hungry to make a mark in England this time around.
In the last two years, he has improved a lot and emerged as India's leading bowler. His ability to take wickets in any situation makes him an integral part of the Indian team.
MS Dhoni
Shedding light on veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni's importance in the Indian team coach Ravi Shastri said, “It was great to see the way he was moving in the IPL, especially when he was batting. The footwork, the power with which he was hitting the shots — he will be a big player in this World Cup."
Dhoni will be probably featuring in his last World Cup. But, he is still India's best bet when it comes to playing the role of a finisher and keeping vigil eye behind the stumps. His vast experience and ability to make smart decisions in crunch situations make him the backbone of the team.
