With their galaxy of batting talent and a coach who knows local conditions, Men in Blue are surely a force to reckon with in the Champions Trophy
With their galaxy of batting talent and a coach who knows local conditions, Men in Blue are surely a force to reckon with in the Champions Trophy
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The renovated Oliver Tambo international airport welcomes visitors to the cricket Champions Trophy with festive banners and the entire route to Sandton, the new commercial and housing complex, where the teams are staying, is bedecked with banners promoting the event.
"The battle is on, the knives are out, there will be no bailouts" the posters shriek breathlessly.
But it does not take long to realise that interest in the eight-nation 15-day Champions Trophy is insignificant, compared to expectations from next July's prestigious Football World Cup, which will hold billions of soccer lovers all over the world in thrall.
Although India will start the tournament, which starts at Johannesburg's Wanderers stadium tomorrow, as one of the bookmakers' favourites, the smart money is equally on hosts South Africa, Australia and Pakistan.
However, on their day, India, with their balance and galaxy of batting talent (one writer termed them 'galacticos'), can humble any side in the world. They have the additional advantage of having a shrewd former South African captain as coach. His knowledge of local conditions will be invaluable.
India are without injured Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, but the team's awesome batting strength is feared by all opponents, even though the batsmen showed a marked susceptibility to the short, rising delivery which all opponents, especially South Africans Dale Steyn and Roelof van der Merwe, will surely exploit to the hilt.
According to local pundits, the early-season wickets at Wanderers and Centurion will not be as bouncy as they were in the IPL. South African coach Mickey Arthur expects the wickets to be dry, as they were at the end of last season, which would be a mouth-watering prospect for Harbhajan Singh, the jadugar.
This fact, by itself will put the Indian pace bowlers, who unimpressed in the recent tri-series in Sri Lanka, at a distinct disadvantage. To compound their woes is their abysmal fielding, slovenly ground fielding, butter-fingered catching and below-par running between wickets, all of which are born out of the players' essential lack of athleticism.
One can understand the local partisan support for South Africa, but the perceived "injustice" done to Graeme Smith's World No 1 Test and ODI side, which failed to win a single nomination for the International Cricket Council awards, is expected to sharpen the home outfit's hunger and fierce determination to win.
Incensed at the slight, Smith and his bruised team-mates are determined to highlight what has been described here as the "absurdity" of the judging panel.
They are also determined to overcome the hoodoo of failing at the semi-finals of the World Cup, the previous Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20 earlier this year.
"It is disappointing that not a single member made the short list in category, because we are the No 1 team in both Test and one-day cricket, which shows the strength of the team," Smith said.
"Perhaps the lack of ICC award nominations could be a motivating factor."
Then there is the Proteas's formidable batting line-up, consisting of Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy, which will be daunting for any opposition, with Albie Morkel and Mark Boucher to follow.
Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said recently that there are many favourites in this edition of the Champions Trophy, including his own team. Australia's 6-1 mauling of England will surely boost their morale and Pakistan, surprise winners of the Twenty20 who beat South Africa in the semi-final on their way, are always capable of springing surprises with the batsmenu00a0 Younis Khan, Mohammed Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq and bowlers Mohammad Asif (back in the team) and Umar Gul in their ranks.
Hosts South Africa take on Pakistan at the Centurion tomorrow. India play their first match against Pakistan, also at Centurion, at 2.30 pm (6 pm IST) on Saturday.
The final is scheduled for October 5 at Centurion, also at 6 pm IST.
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