Cricket World Cup 2011 team guidesIndia cricket teamThe host nation dreams of a Sachin Tendulkar century in the final of his home city of MumbaiGroup B
19 Feb v Bangladesh, Mirpur (d/n)
27 Feb v England, Bangalore (d/n)
6 March v Ireland, Bangalore, (d/n)
9 March v Netherlands, Delhi (d/n)
12 March v South Africa, Nagpur (d/n)
20 March v West Indies, Chennai (d/n)
World Cup history
Winners in 1983. Finalists in 2003. Semi finalists in 1987 and 1996. Second round in 1999. First round in 1975, 1979, 1992 and 2007
The captain
Mahendra Singh Dhoni The India captain is another captain, batsman and wicketkeeper. He has a batting average of 48 in ODIs with a scoring rate of 88.
The coach
Gary Kirsten South African Kirsten held his country's records for most runs and centuries in a Test career, before both were surpassed by Jacques Kallis. Since coaching the side, Indian captain MS Dhoni described him as 'the best thing to happen to Indian cricket'.
Key batsman
Sachin Tendulkar Playing in his sixth World Cup, which will add to his list of records, and the script demands that he plays a match-winning innings in the final in his native Mumbai. Averages a tidy 58 from his previous 36 World Cup appearances, but was only 10 when India were crowned world champions for the first, last and only time in 1983.
Key bowler
Zaheer Khan At 32, the old head of India's seam attack, and still their most reliably potent new ball weapon. Looks innocuous enough in his approach to the crease but swings the ball both ways, red or white, old or new, and has masterful control.
Success depends on
How well they can handle all the expectation that will be heaped on them and the pressure that it brings with it. India have only lost once in their last 11 home ODIs, and have routed Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in that time as well.
Prediction
Final Anything less would be a huge disappointment for their home fans and a major surprise for everyone else.
The squad
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wkt), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Sreesanth, Sachin Tendulkar.
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