Analysis: Tight at the top five months out from World Cup
SYDNEY
After what at one stage earlier this month looked like a vast game of musical
chairs, reigning champions India ended up topping the world rankings when the five-month
countdown to the 2015 World Cup started on Sunday.
With just three rating points separating the top four nations, however, the 11th
version of the quadrennial showpiece of 50-overs cricket, which is being co-hosted by
Australia and New Zealand, looks like being one of the closest ever.
We look at how the 10 test-playing nations (in order of world ranking) are shaping
up 154 days before New Zealand meet Sri Lanka in Christchurch to launch the Feb. 14-
March 29 tournament.
INDIA
Led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and boasting some fearless strokemakers in their
ranks, the top-ranked ODI side in the world look serious contenders to defend their title.
A much-improved fielding side, India appear to have benefitted from the Indian
Premier League, which has given their players the opportunity to play regularly against the
leading bowlers in the world.
Even the most junior batsman in the Indian side has faced the likes of Dale Steyn
and Mitchell Johnson in the Twenty20 tournament and have gained enough confidence to
hit them out of the park when the need arises.
With their pace bowling underwhelming, India will once again build their attack
around their spinners, who made a big impact in their World Cup win at home in 2011.
A lot will depend, though, on how the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and the plethora
of part-time spinners fare on the relatively bouncy pitches in Australia and New Zealand.
SOUTH AFRICA
Recent series victories in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, where they played a triangular
tournament involving Australia, have boosted the confidence of the Proteas, even if both
were achieved in conditions they will not find at the World Cup.
Their strong batting line-up has been solidified by the emergence of Faf du Plessis
at number three, coming in after proven openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock.
In AB de Villiers they have arguably the best one-day batsman in the world, but there
is concern over their one genuine power-hitter, David Miller, who is out of form.
The South Africans also lack an all-rounder to bat at seven, with this duty shared in
recent times by Ryan McLaren and Wayne Parnell with mixed success.
Dale Steyn remains the lynchpin of the bowling line-up and rarely has an off-day,
and in JP Duminy and Imran Tahir there are also genuine spin options too.
SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka will be hoping next year is third time lucky after being beaten in the final
of the last two World Cups and the 1996 champions seem to have the resources to achieve that.
Mahela Jayawardene, 37, and Kumar Sangakkara, 36, got a fitting 20-over farewell
when Sri Lanka won the World Twenty20 title in Bangladesh in April but winning the 50-over
event in Australia would be an even better parting gift.
Sri Lanka's compact batting side is complemented by a balanced bowling unit
which is likely to include the mercurial Lasith Malinga, whose yorkers, delivered with his
sling-shot action, can make him almost unplayable on occasions. more >>
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