Team India SWOT analysis: Are Rohit's men ready to lift World Cup 2023?

The Indian team has not dropped even a single game in this tournament, making it the strongest side in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. But will they be able to lift the cup?

Rohit Sharma-led India have never let the intensity drop one bit in their entire ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign, and in the final hurdle, they would want no change. However, every team develops certain weaknesses on the way to the top, along with many strengths. This team, arguably the best Indian unit ever in any World Cup, is no different in that regard.

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Strengths

The Indian team is the most in-form and dominant team the World Cup has seen. With 96 wickets in 10 matches, they know how to get the opposition all out. But at the same time, they have three batters (Virat Kohli- 711, Rohit7 Sharma- 550 and Shreyas Iyer- 526) who have scored in access of 500 runs in this tournament so far, giving full credence to the batting prowess of the Men in Blue.

This is the first instance in a World Cup where three batters from the same team have passed the 500-run mark. But it is just not the batting, Mohammed Shami has had a sensational outing with the ball, picking up 23 wickets in just six matches.  It’s not just Shami, rather four Indians have picked 15 wickets or more in this tournament, which includes Jasprit Bumrah (18), Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Kuldeep Yadav (15).

Be it batting first or chasing, India have won in all conditions. While they won their first five matches chasing, Men in Blue have defended the total in the next four. With the crowd behind them, it would be tough to beat this India team with Rohit to attack, Gill to control at the top, and Kohli, Iyer and KL Rahul to play according to the situation with the bat. With the ball, it is the pace trio and if anyhow the Aussies get past them, then there is trial by quality left-arm spin- both orthodox and Chinaman.

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Weakness

There are two weak links in the team. There has not been a real test of India’s late-order batting. In the one match that it was tested, it failed against England. What if all the top-order batters fail? Will Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and the bowlers be able to stand alongside one proper batter and take India to a respectable total? It is highly doubtful as of now.

In chasing, there has been no exposure at all for the late order, apart from one game against New Zealand in Dharamsala, in which too, Kohli was there to guide the likes of Jadeja.

The other weakness was exposed against New Zealand in the semi-final, as apart from Shami, no other bowler looked like giving a breakthrough to India. What if Shami fails? Will India still be able to stop the opposition from chasing a total down or posting an imposing target?

X-Factor: Surya Kumar Yadav

Surya, who scored a brilliant 49 against England when the team was in trouble, could become India’s X factor in the final too. So far, not used with the bat on more than two occasions, the Mumbaikar can take the game away from the opposition in a very quick time if he plays his natural game. There might come a situation where he could become the X-Factor.

Opportunity

There could be no bigger opportunity than lifting the World Cup. If they win in the final, Men in Blue will become the second team after Australia to win three or more World Cups. With this victory, India will also become the only team to win two World Cups at home and only the third team to win the trophy without dropping a game. Australia and the West Indies have done that in the past. For Rohit, it would be an opportunity to have a fairytale finish from not being part of the 2011 World Cup to leading the team to their next World Cup win 12 years later.

Threats

The Australian fast bowling against South Africa in the semi-final showcased its brilliance and could be the biggest threat to India early on. If not the bowling, the power-hitting opening duo of David Warner and Travis Head alongside Mitchell Marsh at number three could be a great threat as well. While Marsh and Warner have hit two centuries each, Head gives the fastest starts in this format at the top of the order.

Apart from the opposition, India must refrain from threatening themselves with bad fielding as they did in the semi-final, where they dropped several chances.