Form and familiarity favour India in T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI, Feb 5 : Tournament co-hosts India are banking on form and familiarity with conditions as they seek to be the first team to successfully defend the Twenty20 World Cup title in a tournament which finds itself in the eye of a geopolitical storm.

India's golden generation of cricketers - Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja - quit T20 Internationals immediately after their World Cup victory in the Caribbean two years ago in a coordinated exit that could have destabilised a lesser side.

While the occasional banner pops up in the stands mentioning how much fans miss them in this format, the team look in safe hands.

Suryakumar Yadav, who led the side in a triumphant Asia Cup campaign last year, has settled in as captain and the world's top-ranked T20 side have found new pillars. Opener Abhishek Sharma and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy lead the batters' and bowlers' charts respectively.

Boasting an explosive batting line-up and a clinical attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, India sent an ominous signal with their victory in the recent home series against New Zealand.

Twice champions England looked in strong form as they whitewashed Sri Lanka in the recent T20 series in spin-friendly conditions.

In Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, they have arguably the most lethal opening pair in this format, complemented by skipper Harry Brook's six-hitting prowess.

England have gambled on Jofra Archer's fitness by retaining the speedster and spinner Adil Rashid will play a key role in conditions conducive to his craft.

Perennial contenders Australia arrived with positives as well as uncertainties. Mitchell Marsh fronts a potent blend of experience and firepower in their batting order but fitness concerns linger over the pace attack.

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