Press Trust of India
Nagpur, March 14: The superb build-up run has made India the clear favourites for an unprecedented second World Twenty20 title but the in-form hosts will have to guard against complacency when they take on a spirited New Zealand in their campaign-opener here Tuesday at the VCA Jamtha Stadium. But then T20 is a format where nothing can be taken for granted and the Indians will have to win one match at a time to repeat their 2007 feat.
No host country has won the T20 world title in the last five editions and none has repeated a title triumph, but India’s settled combination, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and familiarity with the conditions make them the odds-on favourites to script history.
India have been on a roll in the shortest form of the game, winning their last seven outings and having an overall record of 10-1 since defeating Australia 3-0 in the latter’s backyard.
However, MS Dhoni’s men will be wary of the fact that they have never beaten New Zealand in T20s in four outings in the past including once during their stunning title run in 2007.
But all those games have been away ones and in home conditions, India would be a big threat to the rest of the competitors, including New Zealand.
India do have the wherewithal and the personnel to script history and a win in Tuesday’s opening game would give them the ideal momentum to take on the challenges ahead head-on.
Virat Kohli has been in terrific form, in the last two months. On top of his game, the Test skipper has made four half centuries in seven innings, and two other scores in the 40s, besides leading four successful run-chases. No doubt, India would like him to continue in the same vein.
With an average of over 50 after 38 matches, he remains one of the players who will be feared by the opposition along with the equally talented Rohit Sharma who is set to play in his sixth WT20 championships.
Shikhar Dhawan’s form has been patchy at best but the knock of 73 he made in the warm-up game against South Africa should have given him as well as the team a considerabl boost going into the tournament.
With the likes of Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni himself to follow apart from Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, India can bat deep down the order.
The unearthing of Jasprit Bumrah to bowl effectively at the early stages as well as in the death has given the team the much-needed go-to-man when things don’t go as per plans.
New Zealand too have the players to trouble India although they would be missing the fire-power and attacking captaincy of Brendon McCullum who has retired recently.
