Exclusive: The World Cup Verdict
New Delhi: With just a few hours to go before the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup kicks off, the debate still rages - who will win the biggest prize in world cricket. CNN-IBN and CricketNext.com polled 100 cricketers, both past and present to find their picks and the verdict is out.
An overwhelming majority 99 per cent actually feels that batting is Team India's main strength and interestingly only one per cent felt that bowling was the big weapon.
DNA Associate Editor, Ayaz Memon said, "Last year in the West Indies we struggled, we lost four matches partly because the batting failed and the other thing is that we didn't field well. I think we are going to be amongst the worst fielding type. Pakistan is going to be the worst but India is not much better than that."
A staggering 59 per cent felt the Indian team is mentally strong. However there is some bad news for the support staff.
Seventy nine per cent say the team is physically not up to the mark and 35 per cent say India will crack under pressure.
Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly are the preferred names when it comes to choosing the star player for India.
Sixty four per cent also go against the team management's ploy of playing Sachin down the order.
Bengal Ranji Team Member Rohan Gavaskar said, "In my view if he does open the innings will make an impact at the same time if he comes at number four he can control the innings."
The final stretch saw the big questions, 40 per cent felt that Australian skipper Ricky Ponting would be the star player.
Sachin came in second at a distant 13 per cent and finally the big one, who will win despite their recent bad patch. 46 per cent voted for Australia to successfully defend its crown. India not too far behind at 37 per cent.
Guess it's time now for the real game to begin.
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