The World Cup is HERE!!!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, buckle up your seats-belts as we approach the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 - touted as being 'the most wide-open' in recent times- which means that all but Bangladesh have a shot at winning it. As it happens, so does India ..

Dravid sounds quietly confident that all the hard work and the tough times that the team has gone through since the last World Cup be it Ganguly's sacking, Sachin's injuries, incosistent performance of the youngsters et al will pay off this Caribbean summer. Dravid himself would have a statement to make on the BIG stage- both with his batting form and captaincy, which have been troubled over the past year (except for some good times at home recently) leading into the competition.

The captain will be the first to acknowledge the ferocity of the competition in this edition. All top 7 teams- Aus, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, India, West Indies and even England will be fancying their chances. Pakistan, embroiled in one controversy after other, are Pakistan. Pretermit Pakistan at your own peril. Interestingly, all these teams stand guilty of worrisome inconsistency amidst some remarkable cricket recently. So then, results in the forthcoming event will boil down to performances on the day as no team looks a runaway favourite over the other- that should make for some tight contests and good wholesome entertainment!

The bowling and fielding hold the key to India's chances. Far too often we manage to pin quality sides down on the mat initially, only to find ourselves looking at the long end of the barrel later. Sides that manage pressure- shake it off, hurl it back and keep it there- will come out on top. The bowling, not known for its consistency with Zaheer, Agarkar, Sreesanth in the ranks will be severely tested by the big-hitters in the likes of Gibbs, Gilchrist, Ponting, Jaysuriya, Afridi, Pietersen, Graeme Smith and co. on the smallish Caribbean grounds. The fielders will have to maintain discipline and intensity inspite of the aging arms and legs- a tough ask- in World Cup pressure. And yet, success demands that Pressure be built up, unrelentingly sustained and the Knock-Out punch landed- consistently, ruthlessly.

This is where experience and class in the form of Tendulkar, Ganguly, Kumble and Dravid himself will have to come to the fore. This is where Yuvraj, Sehwag, Pathan and Harbhajan have to put their hands up and be counted. The latter 4 are winging a ride based more on hope, a prayer and a paucity of options than automatic selection. This could also be Agarkar's definitive chance to offer answers to some long-standing questions. Dhoni and Zaheer would do well to keep up with the good work. And Munaf would do well to stay on his two feet. This team has the necessary ingredients, but the right factors- focus, skill, hunger, nerve and luck have to come together at the right time.

My wishlist for India this World Cup-

1. "Sachin! Sachin!"- one last time on the BIG stage.
2. Dada and Sehwag rocking it at the top
3. Please, Pleaaaaassseee, let Pathan come good. We NEED him. Bat, Ball and Balance.
4. Yuvraj, Dravid, Dhoni finishing games when on the chase
5. Tight bowling at the death.
6. Singles taken and catches held- all the time!
7. Bhajji picking up wickets - esp. in the middle overs
8. Dinesh Kartik for 12th man
9. ONE wicket through fielding every match (stunning catch, direct hits)
10. If we make it to the final, Zaheer holding his nerve and NOT the ball, come first over!

So will India come good this time, after what proved to be a vain effort in South Africa '03? The answer to that lies at the Kensington Oval, Barbados in 2 months' time. See you there!