Cricket World Cup 2023: Why India's bowling attack is the best in the tournament

India have been unstoppable in the World Cup. Seven victories on the trot, most of these barely breaking into a sweat, have earned Rohit Sharma’s team plaudits and invited comparisons with great sides of the past.

For instance, in an interview with Times of India, Shane Watson, former Australian all-rounder and part of three World Cup-winning teams (2003, 2007, 2015), says the present Indian team is in the same league as the Aussie teams he played for.

Ramiz Raja, the former Pakistan captain and a key member of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-winning team, compared the Indian team to the legendary West Indies teams of the 1980s.

"This Indian team reminds me of the West Indies teams of the 1980s," Ramiz said while analysing the team's strength for the Khaleej Times.

"You wanted to challenge the might of the Windies, but you couldn't because they would out-think you, out-smart you, out-bowl you...it was impossible to beat them.

"This Indian team have played that kind of cricket, they have created this culture of brilliance through performances."

Barring the early hiccups while chasing a modest total against Australia in the opening game, which they overcame brilliantly, thanks to KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, the Indian team have been unstoppable so far.

Experts suggest this is the best Indian ODI side ever, even ahead of Kapil Dev’s title-winning team in 1983 and MS Dhoni’s in 2011.

What’s helped India put up such a dominant show?

The quality of players is a major factor. Each member of the squad has looked like a match-winner. The presence of genuine all-rounders like Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul gives the team balance.

In most matches, India have been able to play seven batsmen and six bowlers without compromising on either batting or bowling.

Most encomiums have been reserved for the batting, especially veterans Rohit Sharma and Kohli. Not surprisingly, since batsmen get the most attention in the game, and in the sub-continent especially, fans are enamoured with averages, centuries, strike rates, sixes and fours.

Such stats are important without a doubt, but often obscure the contribution of bowlers who may also have fantastic stats too, but somehow don’t catch the public fancy.

There is no doubt that India’s batting has been enthralling. Rohit has been in bionic form at the top and Kohli playing both bulwark and master of the chase to near perfection.

But it is no disrespect to them to say that India owe their current position to how the bowlers have performed.

The pace bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Pandya and Thakur (when he’s played), have sizzled, and spinners Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin have bamboozled batmen from all teams.

The bowling unit has got variety and depth like none other in the tournament.