Here’s how India could retain the World Cup

The Hamilton wicket is known to assist seam and swing. However, teams prefer to bat first and put up a big total after winning the toss.

Ireland did precisely that, their decision seemed to be going in the right direction with the openers scoring at almost six an over in the first 15 overs, another 300-plus score looked imminent.

Ireland, however, was up against the defending champions, led by an unperturbedly cool and different-thinking captain in Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Much as I started writing this column analyzing the Indian team, I am in awe of the way the team went about in a very professional manner, first with the ball and later with the bat.

To Dhoni’s credit, he knows exactly how to effect the right bowling changes at the right moment. Many a time he has been accused of being too defensive, but then you got to back his instincts that make the team put up a record nine-match winning streak at the World Cup.

India’s bowling obviously was one of the weak links before the tournament started, but they have bowled out all their opponents so far, an incredible feat for a bowling attack perceived to be weak. Their bowling combination is now their strength.

But are there no weaknesses?

Indian strike bowler Umesh Yadav went for too many runs in the first few overs, but then off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, fresh from success using his flight and guile is known to break partnerships, and he didn’t disappoint.

When Ireland were cruising along at 206 for 3 with a dozen overs left, the skipper turned to Ashwin again and then the collapse that followed ensured India had a much smaller target to chase than the Irish threatened to post. Their inexperience and lack of international exposure once again comes to the fore.

While Mohammed Shami continues to revel, using Suresh Raina’s spin to full effect, as a cover for the expensive Umesh, was another masterstroke. A change in the team composition is not something Dhoni is expected to do with his playing XI delivering to set expectations. But, yes, you can never predict how effectively he uses his on-field players.

After the mini-collapse against the West Indies before winning by 4 wickets, the Indian batting order seemed a shade brittle and it was expected to be tested more in the subsequent matches.

Shikar Dhawan has a weakness of chasing the ball away from the body and nicking it to get caught in the slips, like it happened throughout the last few months and against the Windies a few days ago. He, however, seemed to have overcome that in his quick-fire innings of a exact 100. Rohit Sharma’s knock also augurs well for him and the team.

The Irish bowling may not be as experienced as the other Test nations, but then an opening partnership of 174 surely eases the chase. After the openers fell in succession, the Virat Kohli – Ajinkya Rahane combination showed the class that can put any doubts on the fragility of the middle order.

India, like New Zealand, are the team to beat and in my opinion the teams that beats these two are likely to be in the final.

As long as India continues to keep things simple, bowling with patience, hitting the right areas and their batsmen focus on building partnerships, rotating the strike and putting away the loose balls, they have the chance of defending their title.

(Jonty Rhodes served South Africa with distinction in 52 Tests and 245 ODIs, with four World Cup appearances. The first fielding superstar of international cricket, the acrobatic Springbok took many miracle catches, a lot of them at backward point. He'll be writing for Yahoo! Cricket as their World Cup Expert.)