Kapil Dev, who led India to our first World Cup victory in 1983, shares his thoughts on the forthcoming World Cup in Australia.

I am flooded with memories of some exciting cricket in Australia from the many tours that I have made. It is often said that it offers a challenge of a different kind and I must admit that Australia can be hugely competitive and intriguing. There is everything that a cricket connoisseur can expect in terms of quality. And the aggressive brand of cricket that the Australians bring makes it all the more exciting for the spectators.

India is bound to feel the pressure when the team steps on to the field in defence of its World Cup crown. It was a proud moment for the entire nation when M.S. Dhoni finished the contest in style with a six at the Wankhede Stadium four years ago. We were winning the Cup for the second time. Can we pull it off again?

Well, India certainly has the potential to become the champion. There are other teams too with similar claims and that really raises the expectations of the cricket fans. It makes Dhoni’s task all the more difficult because I have some reservations as far as the bowling strength is concerned when compared with the rest.

India lacks the strength in the bowling department, the strength to make an impact on the match, the incisive quality to push the opposition into a corner. India has some decent bowlers but in three months in Australia they have not been able to come to terms with the line and length they need to explore. The bowlers continue to falter in getting their line and length right and, that to me is a major concern.

What can I say when players refuse to learn. With the technical support available I don’t think there is room for repeating mistakes in modern cricket. At least the player gets to know his shortcomings in quick time and the time to rectify the mistakes. I don’t think Indian bowlers have the speed factor to rattle the opposition. But they can look to put the ball in the right area and make the batsmen think.

In Australia, you need to pitch the ball up. When the pitch offers superb bounce I don’t understand why the bowlers feel scared of pitching the ball up. When you don’t pitch the ball up the captain can have issues in setting the field. If you bowl with a 140-plus consistently you can have attacking positions but the Indian bowlers have been found wanting in this department.

I am particularly disappointed with Mohammad Shami. He has the ability to emerge the best bowler in Australian conditions but there is obvious lack of understanding between him and the support staff. The bowler sometimes takes time to learn but I would love to know how much time the support staff has spent on Shami and made him understand his position in the scheme of things. He is extremely important.

When we played the World Cup in Australia (in 1992) the Indian batsmen did not click for different reasons. Our bowling was slightly unsure of delivering. It was not the case when we won the World Championship of Cricket (in 1985). The bowling was a big factor as we had variety of pace and spin. We succeeded in bowling out all teams because we had realised that we had to take wickets.

This is what I want the Indian bowlers to remember at this World Cup. They have to look to take wickets.

What the team lacks in pace can be made up through its spinners, R. Ashwin and Axar Patel. I am not too sure how fit Ravindra Jadeja but Patel and Ashwin can be India’s trump cards. And they must not bowl to contain but have to take wickets.

I am a bit worried about the line that Ashwin has been bowling in Australia. It has been mostly off and middle when he should pursue the outside off stump line of attack. Patel has not played enough international cricket to make quick adjustments. He must not err in length because he would be cut and pulled, unlike in India where the low bounce can help him get away with such shortcomings. Patel has to tempt the batsmen to go for the straight boundaries, which are long in Australia. Again it is a question of pitching the ball up and giving the batsmen lesser options.

India’s strongest point is its batting talent. The team has six potential match-winners in Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Dhoni. There might be concerns regarding Dhawan’s form but he can swing the match on his own. Rahane has been brilliant in Tests and can build his reputation. Raina and Dhoni have proved they can be excellent finishers and they are easily the best runners between the wickets. What do we say of Kohli? He is in a different league. There are some who can provide the support in the lower half. I can’t see any other team with so many match-winners.

The Indians will have to remember two important things when playing in Australia. Running between the wickets and fielding will have to be top class for India to go the distance. In most grounds the world over you can cover up fielding lapses but not in Australia. Since the grounds in Australia are big, batsmen have to look to convert the one’s into two’s and two’s into three’s. You will find batsmen running up to four runs too, because boundaries are not that easy to hit. Because the grounds are big, it is not possible to hide a poor fielder. I think good fielding will help the team to create pressure on the oppositions, cutting off runs and taking catches often add to your strength.

The experience of having won a World Cup will guide Dhoni. He is an exceptional leader and I know he deals with the situation from match to match with amazing calmness. Cricket in Australia can be very exciting and I shall pick New Zealand, South Africa and Australia as strong contenders too. Don’t rule New Zealand out because it can be a very dangerous team when playing at home. It has a compact side and it does not matter the team has no stars. Australia too can prove a lethal combination but it will have to deal with the pressure of playing in front of a home crowd. I am happy the Indians, who have played enough of IPL (Indian Premier League), can deal with this aspect adeptly.

I will be among the many following the Indians at the World Cup. I am sure the team will realise its potential and raise its game when it counts. My best wishes to Dhoni and his men.