India proves her batting strength

India are at the moment ( 0411 PM ), 160/3, in the warm up match against NZ, at Chennai.

Sehwag and Sachin were clean bowled and India were 42/2. Then came India's young talent, Kohli. He has just smashed 50 and Gambhir is on 36. Gambhir survived a chance, as Franklin dropped him.

Sachin was bowled by a slower ball from Southee and Sehwag was bowled by Oram. Kohli flashed at a wide ball from Oram and was snapped behind the wicket by McCullum. Gambhir is not out on 54 off 63 balls. Run Rate - 4.96.

In the other warm up match, England were 142/5 and then finally managed 243, thanks to Prior, who scored 78. Trott scored 57. Canada are now 227/9, needing 17 runs for a win, with one wicket remaining.

No, no upset. England won by 16 runs.

In the powerplay, India played well and seven fours came off it. But Gambhir was snapped behind off Southee for 89 off 81 balls. India 216-4 !

This is going to be the biggest WC ever, as almost 40 K people turned up at Bangalore and Chennai.

Now India has advanced to 235/4 off 41 overs and a total of over 300 seems achievable. The Chairman of Selectors, K Srikanth was seen applauding as the Indian batsmen ran up a mammoth 360/5 at Chennai.

Raina hit Oram for three sixes and got his 50 off 26 balls. Dhoni silenced his critics with a superb 108 not out, with three sixes.

'Formidable batting' and 'mediocre bowling' - that is how the media sums up the Indian team. Is this theory true ? We will know about it in 45 days time.

The buzz in the India media is that "Will this be Kohli's WC?" and "Will India avenge her 2007 defeat?"