Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels India have got a complete squad but to win the ODI World Cup, they will need to play “fearless cricket” once they reach to the knockout stage.
Four of the last five World Cups have been won by the home side but Hussain believes playing at home gives India advantage but they are not clear favourites.
“They are the favourites but I will not call them the clear favourites just because the amount of quality sides there are in the tournament,”Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports.
Explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian squad, Hussain said in Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, India have got two all time greats and with Jasprit Bumrah coming back after the injury, they look like one of the most dangerous group on paper.
“If you look at the squad I mean they have got two of the greatest white ball batters, there has ever been in the game. Rohit Sharma with three double hundreds in this format and Virat Kohli, a great player in any situation but greatest player in a run chase you would want.
“You have got possibly one of the future greats in Shubman Gill, he is a real talent. Jasprit Bumrah coming back for them is an outstanding bonus because he bowls in all phases of the game. I think that batting line -up and the bowlers they have is right up there one of the best squad in the tournament,” he said.
Nasser thinks the only concern for India is that their batters don’t bowl and their bowlers don’t bowl.
“What they probably lack is if you look at their batters, their batters don’t bowl and their bowlers don’t bat. So it’s a different make up to their side to be with an England with all the all-rounders or Australia with all the all-rounders,” he said.
Nasser says the Indian team will have to find a way to deliver when the pressure is on and the former England captain feels not able to play fearless cricket when the chips are down is the reason why India have not been able to do well in the ICC events in the recent past.
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“The other thing that they will have to overcome is the pressure. Now you would argue that an Indian cricketer is under pressure all the time. But where they have fallen short maybe since 2011 (2013) in the ICC events is when they reach to knockout stage.
“We’re there at the Adelaide in the World T20, they scored a below par score against England and England knocked them off. In the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand on a pitch that was doing a little bit prodded along.
“They got to go above par they have got to play a bit of fearless cricket, When you are get to the knockouts stage. I think they are in the knockout stage, when they got to a semifinal and the pressure is on that’s when they still need to play fearless cricket,” he said.
