England well-placed to end sub-continental hoodoo

THE OUTLOOK:

Not many pundits and fans would fancy England to make an impact in a world tournament that is being held at the sub-continent. After the 1987 World Cup (where they made it to the final) there have been five major tournaments held at this part of the world with England failing to make it to the semi-finals on all occasions.

But this time around, they are buoyed and are confident of putting up a good show in the World T20 2016. Twelve months ago, things were different as they got thumped by Bangladesh in the 2015 World Cup in Australia. And now, the limited-overs misfits have been removed from the side and there is a sudden influx of young and exciting players who are ideally suited to this format. Their brand of cricket has changed and despite losing the two-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series in South Africa recently, they look ready.

ICYMI:

The selectors did throw a surprise by picking an uncapped spinner in the 15-member squad. Hampshire's Liam Dawson bowled well for England Lions against Pakistan A in the UAE and considering the spinner-friendly surfaces that would be on offer in India, he was selected as the backup spinner.

"I went to one or two of the Lions practices and saw him in the nets. From a bowling point of view, he gets a bit on the ball and he looks as though he's got something about him personality-wise. He can bat as well and he's a good fielder apparently," coach Trevor Bayliss had said.

England also chose to ignore senior pacer Stuart Broad for the tournament despite his recall to the limited-overs squads recently. Even though he has been in good form of late, Kevin Pietersen was not considered as well.

KEY POINTS:

Recent form: England lost the two-match T20I series against South Africa last month but that should not deter them. They fought back brilliantly to almost win the first game before Chris Morris took it away in the final over and then were comprehensively beaten by an AB de Villiers special in the second. Prior to this, they faced Pakistan last year in November where they put up an incredible performance to win the series 3-0. Considering that series was played in similar conditions that they would encounter in India, that win was vital.

Strengths: The presence of two spinners who are ideally suited to this format is a huge plus for England. Moeen Ali's tidy off-spin and Adil Rashid's leg-spin will be crucial and the latter has been in good form as he demonstrated his prowess in the Big Bash. The batting line up looks fearsome as it boasts of some big power hitters who can play around the consistent Joe Root, who himself can launch an assault if needed.

Weakness: Inexperience in the seam bowling department, especially in these challenging conditions will test England. Reece Topley and David Willey will have their task cut out, especially against batting heavy sides. Also, this current line-up has not featured in a lot of high-pressure knock-out clashes, which again could prove to be vital.

Big backroom presence: England smartly recruited the services of former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene as a consultant for the tournament. He knows more about playing spin in these conditions and his presence is a massive boost considering the fact that he was part of the victorious side that won the tournament two years ago in Bangladesh. They also have Paul Collingwood, the only English captain to have tasted success on the global stage, in their ranks. The 2010 World Cup winner has played plenty of cricket here and his inputs will be valuable.

Batting order conundrum: Despite possessing a strong batting line-up, England seem to be a little unsettled on the order. Moeen Ali, especially has found life hard at number 7 after finding success early in his career batting at the top order. Will we see him return there? In that case, what about Jos Buttler who is arguably their best batsman in this format. The management cannot afford him to come in too late and run out of deliveries. They need to take a call on that before the first game.

SPOTLIGHT'S ON:

Eoin Morgan was desperately looking for runs in the series against South Africa and finally got some in the second game. He will have to lead from the front considering he is their most experienced batsman. He is also their only batsman to have played a few games in the Indian Premier League and knows these conditions better.

This will be a huge test for Ben Stokes. His bowling will be in focus as much as his batting. His slower bouncers and off-cutters will be on display more often on these surfaces. If he delivers, more often than not, England win.

SCHEDULE:

March 16, Wednesday: versus West Indies, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

March 18, Friday: versus South Africa, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

March 23, Wednesday: versus Afghanistan, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

March 26, Saturday: versus Sri Lanka, Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

EXPERT OPINION:

"I think England will win it, genuinely. I look at the team and the way in which they play. It's going to be tough in India. I think India are the favourites along with Australia but I think that will work in our advantage. I don't think anyone is expecting England to win and sometimes that's really nice. It frees you up and you can just play and go about your business. If you look at the side every department is covered." - Andrew Flintoff certainly expects a lot from his countrymen.

PREDICTION: Semi-final

Paired with South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Afghanistan, England are expected to reach the last-four stage above Sri Lanka and even the Windies considering their lacklustre form recently combined with the absence of key players. From there on, anything can happen on the given day as India and to an extent, South Africa look to be their only stumbling block.