At the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 thus far, India have been in red-hot form and a class apart from other tournament favourites. They are the only unbeaten team of the competition so far with the likes of South Africa and New Zealand suffering a defeat each.
The Rohit Sharma-led side has been putting up impressive show across departments game after game. In their tournament opener, they trapped Australia in a web of spin before their batters razed through Afghanistan bowlers.
They outclassed arch-rivals Pakistan to complete hat-trick of wins before a comfortable win over Bangladesh. India then faced their world cup bogey team New Zealand and edged past them to continue their winning run before demolishing defending champions England to make it six wins out of six attempts.
South Africa legend Graeme Smith says India have been so dominant that they are yet to be put under pressure. He said they might have ended up with a low total against England in Lucknow but it was evident the pitch was quite challenging given how Jos Buttler’s men surrendered.
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“India have been so dominant that they have not even been tested yet in the tournament. Last night probably, with a 230 total (against England) was perhaps the first time you could say, but it was a tough wicket and it showed that. They have been very dominant so far,” Smith told was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“India, at home, are always tough to beat. They play so well in their conditions. You have got the balance, the bowling attack has weapons with fast bowling and great spinners, you have got a lot of bases covered,” he added.
Smith though reckons that the absence of injured allrounder Hardik Pandya disturbs their balance as India have been playing an extra specialist batter and a bowler to fill the gap in his wake.
“One worry at the moment is that you are playing one extra bowler because of that injury to Hardik Pandya. They have lost a little bit of balance that he brings,” he said.
“If you play against a team that gets you into trouble, say you are three or four (wickets) down, you are a batter short you are missing that all-rounder. But (the) thing from watching India and the IPL, you have got players that have played in big situations a lot in their career and they have always managed to find a way,” Smith added.
India will hope to seal their semi-final spot when they take on Sri Lanka at the Wankehede Stadium on Thursday.
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