The Indian team has been on a roll in T20Is in 2016: in ten matches, they have won nine and lost one. That one defeat was on a seaming deck against a young Sri Lankan pace attack, but either side of that defeat they have notched up some impressive results, winning three on the trot in Australia, taking revenge for that lone loss in Pune, and then going undefeated in the Asia Cup league games. In a format whose vagaries present a huge challenge to teams seeking consistent wins, the results that India have produced makes then firm favourites for the World T20, especially given that they are playing on home turf.

Since the beginning of 2014, India's win-loss record versus the top ten teams in T20Is is 13-5, which is by far the best - no other team has won as many, or lost as few matches as India have. The next best are New Zealand with a 10-7 record, while South Africa, Australia, and West Indies have all won a game or two more than they have lost.

India's numbers have been solid with both bat and ball in the last couple of years. Their run rate hasn't been the highest - in fact, five of the nine teams in the table below have done better - but India's bowling stats have been exceptional. Their average and economy rate are the best among all teams. They have been the only team with a sub-20 bowling average and an economy rate of less than 7.50.

T20I record since Jan 2014 (v top ten teams) Team Mat Won/ lost Ratio Bat ave Run rate Bowl ave Econ rate India 18 13/ 5 2.60 31.54 7.86 19.25 7.05 New Zealand 17 10/ 7 1.43 23.96 8.28 20.65 7.71 South Africa 20 11/ 9 1.22 32.34 8.27 21.07 8.17 Australia 17 9/ 8 1.13 24.20 8.49 26.79 7.96 West Indies 18 9/ 8 1.13 24.54 8.08 24.13 8.00 Sri Lanka 19 9/ 10 0.90 20.51 7.53 23.71 7.93 England 18 7/ 10 0.70 22.53 8.34 29.09 8.81 Pakistan 18 6/ 11 0.55 19.01 7.35 24.75 7.83 Bangladesh 14 4/ 9 0.44 19.10 6.81 25.33 7.50

With the bat, India have benefited from having two of the best in the format in their top three. Virat Kohli has been sensational, scoring 740 runs at an average of 82.22 and a strike rate of almost 135, while Rohit Sharma is the only other batsman to score 600-plus runs against the top ten teams in T20Is during this period. They are the two leading run scorers during this period, and their presence has given India's top three an irresistible combination of flair and solidity.

Ashish Nehra celebrates after rattling Milinda Siriwardana's stumps BCCI

Thanks largely to those two, India have had 16 fifty-plus scores in 18 matches, and 26 scores of 30 or more. Kohli and Rohit have contributed 15 of the 16 fifty-plus scores, with the only other one coming from Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan has been fairly ordinary during this period, averaging 20 at a strike rate of 118, but Kohli and Rohit have more than compensated for his failures.

While India have averaged almost one 50-plus score per game during this period, other teams have struggled to get one in two games. South Africa have ten from 20 games, Australia have nine from 17, West Indies nine from 18, Sri Lanka six from 19, and Pakistan three from 18. In terms of 30-plus scores, India have 26 from 18, again the most by any team. The prolific form of Kohli and Rohit also means India's top three have the highest average among all teams; it's often argued that average isn't a relevant stat in 20-over cricket, but for top-order batsmen it indicates solidity and consistency at the top of the order, and for India the high average means they usually have wickets in hand to make good use of the slog overs.

Team-wise stats for Nos. 1-3 in T20Is since Jan 2014 (v top ten teams) Team Mat Runs Average SR 30+ scores India 18 1738 38.62 127.98 26 New Zealand 17 1500 34.88 140.97 24 South Africa 20 1801 33.98 136.64 24 Australia 17 1449 31.50 137.86 20 West Indies 18 1372 27.44 125.52 20 Zimbabwe 17 1236 25.22 122.25 17 Bangladesh 14 838 23.27 111.58 11 England 18 1194 22.96 128.52 16 Sri Lanka 19 1138 19.96 117.92 16 Pakistan 18 824 15.84 100.24 7

In the Powerplay overs, there are five teams that score quicker than India, but many of them tend to lose wickets in the middle overs. Australia have consistently impressive numbers through all stages, with an especially high scoring rate in the last five, while New Zealand's firepower is in evidence too. The numbers are fairly closely packed together, though Pakistan's poor stats in the Powerplays stand out.

Batting teams at each stage of an inngs, in T20Is since Jan 2014 (v top ten teams) Batting Team First 6: Ave RR 6.1-15.0: Ave RR Last 5: Ave RR Australia 33.76 8.27 29.75 8.64 17.33 10.23 Bangladesh 20.15 6.33 21.82 6.50 16.77 9.13 England 24.14 7.60 27.00 7.83 22.74 9.51 India 34.86 7.42 37.68 7.49 15.97 9.52 New Zealand 44.05 8.69 24.63 7.79 19.26 9.89 Pakistan 17.67 6.05 22.78 7.17 22.43 9.36 South Africa 40.41 8.08 36.18 7.80 12.89 8.72 Sri Lanka 20.02 7.02 24.57 7.04 11.92 8.52 West Indies 41.05 8.04 21.96 7.23 14.96 8.24

Perhaps the bigger surprise than India's batting has been the manner in which their bowlers have performed over the last couple of years. Their overall economy rate of 7.05 is the best, and while the spinners have led the way with 66 wickets at a superb average and economy rate, the quicker bowlers haven't done badly either. Ashish Nehra has completely justified the selectors' faith in him, taking 12 wickets against the top ten teams in nine games at 18.83 and an economy rate of 7.29, while Jasprit Bumrah has been a revelation, taking 13 wickets at 15.92 and an economy rate of 6.36.

Martin Guptill swats one onto the leg side Getty Images

The leader of the pack, though, has clearly been R Ashwin, with 31 wickets 13.12 and an economy rate of 5.88. With Ravindra Jadeja chipping in with 16 wickets as well, India have had most bases covered with the ball.

Pace and spin, team-wise, in T20Is since Jan 2014 (v top ten teams) Team Pace-Wkts Ave Econ rate Spin-Wkts Ave Econ rate India 46 22.47 7.23 66 19.60 6.55 Zimbabwe 39 35.48 9.07 45 26.00 7.64 South Africa 90 23.73 8.33 41 19.92 7.42 Pakistan 57 26.92 8.20 40 27.05 7.02 West Indies 64 28.76 8.94 38 21.15 6.24 Bangladesh 35 28.94 7.85 34 24.61 6.74 Sri Lanka 70 24.70 8.00 32 31.37 7.51 Australia 62 29.66 7.92 27 24.55 7.28 New Zealand 88 21.23 7.64 27 23.22 7.37 England 70 30.14 9.04 21 35.80 7.76

Breaking it up into the three stages of a 20-over innings, the Indian bowlers have consistently come up with excellent numbers at every stage, leading the economy charts in the first six and middle overs, and coming next only to South Africa in the last five. They have also been among the wickets in the middle overs, taking 43 at 24.30. Only South Africa have a better average in the middle overs.

With such complete numbers, it isn't surprising that India have racked up the sort of results they have recently in 20-over cricket. The format is one that's is most favourable for upsets, but even so, India's recent record - and the venue for the tournament - makes them clear favourites for the World T20.