'Extremely hard to beat' - Former Australia cricketer discusses Team India's prospects for victory in ODI World Cup 2023

Team India is on a roll in the 2023 ODI World Cup after winning their first three consecutive matches against the top sides of the tournament. With the advantage of playing at home, India was always one of the favorites to win the cup, but after their recent victories in the Asia Cup and the initial stages of the World Cup, India is turning out to be the team to beat in this tournament.

Former Australian veteran and three-time World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting has echoed the similar sentiment as he also believes that India is going to be the team that everyone would aspire to beat in this World Cup as they are looking like a well-oiled machine with all the bases covered.

In an interview to the ICC Ponting said, "I said from the start that I think they're going to be the team to beat. They've got a very talented team. They've got all bases covered with their fast bowling, their spin and their top-order, middle-order batting". He further added, "They're going to be extremely hard to beat. But we'll see how they hold up under extreme pressure as well,"

Amid all frenzy Rohit Sharma cautioned the team to stay level-headed

Indian team’s recent victory against the arch-rival Pakistan lifted the entire nation and all the cricket fans within and outside the country are dreaming of the third ICC 50-over World Cup title after 2011. But amid all the frenzy surrounding the emphatic victory against Pakistan, Indian captain Rohit Sharma cautioned the team to stay level-headed and not to dwell much about the past and the future.

After the match Rohit Sharma said in the post-match interview said, “I will keep my fingers crossed. We don't want to get too excited and also not get too low as well. It is a long tournament, nine league games and then the semis and final. Just have to keep the balance and go forward. I have said it before, for us it was an opposition [Pakistan] we wanted to play. Every opposition we come against they can beat you. We have to be good on that particular day. The past and future does not matter”.

Rohit Sharma had an outstanding day in the field against Pakistan both as a batsmen and a captain. All the pundits of the game who closely watched the match against Pakistan was all praises for Rohit Sharma for his astute bowling changes and aggressive batting. India is set to face Bangladesh in their next fixture in Pune on the 19^th of October.