CWC 2019, SWOT Analysis – India

The Indian selection committee led by MSK Prasad finally announced the 15-man Indian squad which will aim to clinch their third crown at the 2019 edition of the tournament in England. There weren’t many surprises in terms of the selections, with the only debate being the inclusion of either Vijay Shankar or Ambati Rayudu for the No.4 spot and who to opt between Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant for the slot of the back-up wicketkeeper. The selectors, in the end, opted for Vijay Shankar for his three-dimensional abilities and Dinesh Karthik for his experience and better keeping skills.  

India’s squad has long been billed as one of the strongest contenders to win the tournament, due to the presence of a few world-class players in their ranks. It now remains to be seen whether the 15-men who have been selected, live up to their potential as well as the weight of expectations and deliver a good showing at cricket’s marquee showpiece event. 

Here we do a SWOT analysis of the squad as well their chances of attaining glory. 

Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik. 

Strengths 

India on paper at least, have the strongest top 3 out of any team in the tournament. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are two of the finest players in the ODI format right now and have played some exceptional innings in the past. They are then followed by skipper Virat Kohli, who is regarded by many fans and experts as perhaps the greatest ODI player in the history of the game. There is immense pressure upon the top three to deliver the big runs and they are more than capable of adjusting in any conditions and taking the game away from the opposition. Apart from their undoubted qualities and skills, they also have immense experience, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being involved with the side for over a decade and Shikhar Dhawan for a good part of it. The numbers speak for themselves and India’s top order core remains unmatched in international cricket.  

India’s bowling department has also improved by leaps and bounds over the years. Always blessed with quality spinners in their ranks, it is the pace bowling which has become India’s biggest strength, especially in overseas conditions. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are all quality seamers, with Bumrah emerging as one of the most lethal strike bowlers in the world.  

The team have also managed to maintain some mystery and variety in their attack, in the form of the two wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. India’s fortunes in ODI cricket completely changed after they decided to back the two over Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja after the Champions Trophy as the team suddenly had an arsenal of attack in the middle overs of the game. With their subtle variations and attacking intent, they will certainly be a big asset for skipper Virat Kohli to use in the middle overs.  

Weaknesses – 

Despite having a potent top order, the Indian middle order does not inspire much confidence. The team management have tried various players at the troublesome No.4 slot and have finally settled for Vijay Shankar, who is still too inexperienced in international cricket. Many people have also questioned India’s abilities to either set or chase a target which will be over the 320-mark due to the lack of X-factor down the order. MS Dhoni is not the same dasher he once was. Kedar Jadhav despite being a brisk scorer is not a big-hitter and Hardik Pandya is too inconsistent. This was the main reason why there was such a big clamour for the inclusion of Rishabh Pant in the squad due to the X-factor which he brings to the table. 

Many teams will fancy their chances against India if they can make early inroads and expose the middle and lower order. This had added a lot of onus on the top 3 to do the bulk of the scoring for India if they are to put up a big score on the board. The middle order has been a big issue for India for a couple of years now, one for which they have still not found a solution. If India are to have a serious chance of winning the World Cup, a couple of people will need to step up to the plate.  

Opportunities – 

If the top three fire throughout the tournament, India are as strong a team as anyone. They have their bowling department sorted with a good amount of striking options. There also lies an opportunity for the likes of Vijay Shankar to make a name for themselves and establish their spot in the side by having a good tournament. It will also be a big opportunity for Hardik Pandya to solidify himself as an elite all-rounder by performing well both with the bat and the ball. 

Threats –

The middle order remains a big concern, which is perhaps the biggest hindrance in front of the squad if they want to taste glory in the tournament. Complacency could also be a factor as India are firm favourites to at least make it to the semi-finals. They will need to be careful against letting their guards down in any of the matches as it could prove to be catastrophic.