India's success off the field has not been matched by their performances on it at World Cups over the last decade but with a near-perfect buildup, familiar conditions and recent history on their side, the hosts are favourites to end their title drought.
Rohit Sharma and his men head into the 50-overs showpiece event as the world's top-ranked ODI team and with the hopes of a cricket-mad country of 1.4 billion on their shoulders.
"You don't get World Cups served on a platter," he told reporters last month. "You have to really work hard and that is what we have been doing all these years."India's players know every inch of the venues and are well used to the evening dew that makes the ball slippery in the second innings. With the ball, India have a sprightly pace attack led by Bumrah, and have almost wrapped Kuldeep Yadav in cotton wool after the left-arm wristspinner was named Player of the Series at the Asia Cup.
India will also take encouragement from the performances of home teams at the tournament, with the hosts winning the last three editions, beginning with India in 2011.
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