India is doing well lately but most teams that reach to their peak prior to any major tournament do not do too well in real test.

I think India is doing well, but there are some other teams which are better as well like Pakistan, England and South Africa. Even New Zealand is good. The one minus point is that India is not having a steady middle order yet.

Even if the middle order has performed well in Australia and New Zealand, there should be some more opportunities for them to prove themselves by either promoting them to number 3 or 4, players like Kedar, Ambati, Vijay Shankar, Hardik and Dinesh should get game time in real games by these promotions. The way the middle order is playing currently in middle overs is very slow and lacks the final 10 over flourish as well.

Death bowling also needs some improvement though not drastic, yorkers, scrambled seam deliveries and slower balls utilization in final 10 overs is crucial. Players should start effectively utilizing them to contain opposition teams which hasn't been the case with Bhuvi, though he has improved now after some game time.

One more thing that India falls short is lack of pinch hitters or rather we haven't seen the pinch hitting yet from Kedar and Dinesh which assures us like New Zealand middle order. Hitters like Colin De Grandhomme, Todd Astle, James Neesham or like the bat swings of Australia like Pat Cummins or that of England which consists of Butler, Ben stokes, etc are much more assuring.

Overall India looks well poised but not clear favourites yet. The little ironing of middle order game time and last 10 overs flourish and containing opposition in final 10 overs is missing yet. I also think Rishabh Pant will be an ideal replacement for Dhoni which is also a good risk to be taken.

P.S:- Some times I also feel Rohit is much more better Captain than Virat.

In 2015 world cup India's bowling was good in patches and they were not so much hunting in packs, now every bowler is hunting individually and in packs in opening, middle and last overs(except some hits the bowlers are enduring during last overs). That is the biggest improvement.

suni51 wrote:

India is doing well lately but most teams that reach to their peak prior to any major tournament do not do too well in real test.

It is because of over confidence.

epraneeth77 wrote:

I think India is doing well, but there are some other teams which are better as well like Pakistan, England and South Africa. Even New Zealand is good. The one minus point is that India is not having a steady middle order yet.

Even if the middle order has performed well in Australia and New Zealand, there should be some more opportunities for them to prove themselves by either promoting them to number 3 or 4, players like Kedar, Ambati, Vijay Shankar, Hardik and Dinesh should get game time in real games by these promotions. The way the middle order is playing currently in middle overs is very slow and lacks the final 10 over flourish as well.

Death bowling also needs some improvement though not drastic, yorkers, scrambled seam deliveries and slower balls utilization in final 10 overs is crucial. Players should start effectively utilizing them to contain opposition teams which hasn't been the case with Bhuvi, though he has improved now after some game time.

One more thing that India falls short is lack of pinch hitters or rather we haven't seen the pinch hitting yet from Kedar and Dinesh which assures us like New Zealand middle order. Hitters like Colin De Grandhomme, Todd Astle, James Neesham or like the bat swings of Australia like Pat Cummins or that of England which consists of Butler, Ben stokes, etc are much more assuring.

Overall India looks well poised but not clear favourites yet. The little ironing of middle order game time and last 10 overs flourish and containing opposition in final 10 overs is missing yet. I also think Rishabh Pant will be an ideal replacement for Dhoni which is also a good risk to be taken.

P.S:- Some times I also feel Rohit is much more better Captain than Virat.

No one team is perfect. At present team India is doing well. Wining in other countries is weakness of India. But at present it winning with rights. In some last matches middle order is doing good. Jadhav, Kartik and Dhoni all are playing well. Yes Rishabh is best one option of Dhoni. After world cup he may be take place of Dhoni. Rohit is good captain but Kohli is not bad.

epraneeth77 wrote:

In 2015 world cup India's bowling was good in patches and they were not so much hunting in packs, now every bowler is hunting individually and in packs in opening, middle and last overs(except some hits the bowlers are enduring during last overs). That is the biggest improvement.

Bowling is always problem of team India. But at present bowlers are doing well. They are capable is taking 10 wickets. Bumrah, Yadav and Chale are trump cards.

anil wrote:

epraneeth77 wrote:

In 2015 world cup India's bowling was good in patches and they were not so much hunting in packs, now every bowler is hunting individually and in packs in opening, middle and last overs(except some hits the bowlers are enduring during last overs). That is the biggest improvement.

Bowling is always problem of team India. But at present bowlers are doing well. They are capable is taking 10 wickets. Bumrah, Yadav and Chale are trump cards.

The real test comes when Kuldeep and Chahal are taken for runs, hence India should be wary to keep a couple of all rounders in playing XI, like Jadeja, Hardik. Hardik is a certainty.

It is known that when Kuldeep and Chahal bowl well, India picks wickets in middle overs but we have also seen that when they flop, they go for many runs without any wickets. However it has not been the case recently.

But to be on safe side India can go with Jadeja and anyone of Kuldeep and Chahal. If the ground is suiting Spinners it will not be bad to take Kuldeep and Chahal both, but on pitches where seamers are suited, then Jadeja and Kuldeep or just Jadeja with Shami, Bumrah, Bhuvi and Hardik also is good.

anil wrote:

epraneeth77 wrote:

I think India is doing well, but there are some other teams which are better as well like Pakistan, England and South Africa. Even New Zealand is good. The one minus point is that India is not having a steady middle order yet.

Even if the middle order has performed well in Australia and New Zealand, there should be some more opportunities for them to prove themselves by either promoting them to number 3 or 4, players like Kedar, Ambati, Vijay Shankar, Hardik and Dinesh should get game time in real games by these promotions. The way the middle order is playing currently in middle overs is very slow and lacks the final 10 over flourish as well.

Death bowling also needs some improvement though not drastic, yorkers, scrambled seam deliveries and slower balls utilization in final 10 overs is crucial. Players should start effectively utilizing them to contain opposition teams which hasn't been the case with Bhuvi, though he has improved now after some game time.

One more thing that India falls short is lack of pinch hitters or rather we haven't seen the pinch hitting yet from Kedar and Dinesh which assures us like New Zealand middle order. Hitters like Colin De Grandhomme, Todd Astle, James Neesham or like the bat swings of Australia like Pat Cummins or that of England which consists of Butler, Ben stokes, etc are much more assuring.

Overall India looks well poised but not clear favourites yet. The little ironing of middle order game time and last 10 overs flourish and containing opposition in final 10 overs is missing yet. I also think Rishabh Pant will be an ideal replacement for Dhoni which is also a good risk to be taken.

P.S:- Some times I also feel Rohit is much more better Captain than Virat.

No one team is perfect. At present team India is doing well. Wining in other countries is weakness of India. But at present it winning with rights. In some last matches middle order is doing good. Jadhav, Kartik and Dhoni all are playing well. Yes Rishabh is best one option of Dhoni. After world cup he may be take place of Dhoni. Rohit is good captain but Kohli is not bad.

Yes, I agree that India is winning in away Countries and that is a great sign in itself. I am not satisfied with middle order performance yet, though the other day Kedar and Dinesh put up a good show of batting to win 3rd ODI, apart from that there have not been much to talk about Indian middle order.

In chases they have performed excellently, but I am talking about situation where India bats first and loses couple of wickets, then the middle order should be able to play with good strike rate and not 70 to 80 strike rate.

I am saying Rohit because of the wrong team selections that happened in England and South Africa. Also Rohit acts more maturedly and understands his players strengths better than Virat.

Rohit will not need Dhoni support as he is a good match reader (that also means Rishabh can play) and also has won Mumbai Indians title a couple of times. Also Rohit manages pressure situations well unlike Kohli who depends on Dhoni in pressure situations.

Just check what is Indian team worth minus Dhoni and Kohli . Rohit Sharma is one of the most unpredictable at most times.

They are good strong team and has all potential to be a world champion again. But sports is always unpredictable and even the strong team at times surprise by a very poor performance on the D Day. So let us keep our fingers crossed. Even last world cup there was a lot of hype around our Indian team.