World Cup: India Favourites to Top Their Group

Long before Pakistan had lost half their side with just 103 runs on the board, long before Misbah-ul-Haq's lone resistance ended, long before the fireworks went off across the country, the Indian cricket team had sent out a very strong message. When it comes to big ICC tournaments, the Men in Blue will always be contenders, regardless of recent form. (India Hammer Pakistan for Sixth Straight World Cup Defeat)

India's thumping win versus Pakistan served a dual purpose. It of course maintained their perfect record in World Cups against the arch rivals, but more importantly ensured that the title defence began in right earnest. The top order batting was impressive, but what the fans who really understand the game would have liked the most was the way the bowlers delivered. 8 of the 10 Pakistani wickets were taken by the fast bowlers. Former India cricketer and NDTV World Cup expert VVS Laxman in fact said, "I thought the intent of the fast bowlers was there. They were aggressive and they were looking to take wickets, so I think that was an encouraging sign for the Indian team. This win will help them a lot going forward in this World Cup." (Indian Team in Mood to Celebrate Pakistan Win)

India's next clash is versus South Africa, another pre-tournament favourite. But despite several match winners in their ranks, the Proteas haven't enjoyed a similar start to their campaign. They survived a scare vs Zimbabwe in their first match, their premier fast bowler Dale Steyn was taken for 64 in 9 overs by a team ranked 10th in the ICC ODI rankings. India's clash against South Africa was being seen as a potential stumbling block for Dhoni and company, but that perception has now changed. India will go in as the favourites vs De Villiers and his boys, despite never having beaten the Proteas in 3 previous World Cup encounters. (Kohli Has to Learn the Art of Not Over-Dominating, Says Brett Lee)

With Pakistan already taken care of and South Africa not seeming to be a huge threat, the only other team of note in India's group is the West Indies. The Windies are going through a very tough phase. The player-Board fights seem to be taking a toll on their performances on the field. Clive Lloyd and company might deny it, but most cricket fans believe that key players Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard were not picked in the World Cup squad because of their roles in the player revolt, that also saw the team pull out midway through their tour of India last year. Their 4 wicket loss to the Irish in their World Cup opener has in fact put a big question mark over their chances of qualifying for the knockout stage. The Windies should not pose a big challenge for Dhoni and his team of pumped-up youngsters. Can India then top their group? (Win Against Pakistan Will Rejuvenate India, Says Gavaskar)

One aspect of India's win that impressed the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Ian Chappell was MS Dhoni's captaincy during India's win versus Pakistan. Not one to mince his words, Chappell said, "What he (Dhoni) has got to do is repeat that sort of captaincy against a side like South Africa or Australia if they meet them." Gavaskar added, "MS Dhoni was proactive as a captain. He was ahead of the game."

Topping the group will also help India potentially avoid the two host nations Australia and New Zealand in the quarter finals, provided they take the first two spots in their own group.

The format of the tournament is such, that barring a couple of gigantic upsets, the top teams will all go through to the knockout rounds, but that's when their mettle will be truly tested. As Chappell told NDTV, "India have got to prove that they can perform under fire." Winning a World Cup is a lot like winning a long distance race. Picking up pace at the right time is crucial. India dominated their first lap, can they do the same for the rest of the race?