In a significant endorsement of India's cricket prowess, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has lauded the current Indian ODI squad as the finest in the nation's history. His comments come as India gears up for their concluding group-stage encounter against the Netherlands in the World Cup 2023, scheduled to be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on November 12.
In a conversation with Cricbuzz, Karthik emphasised the unprecedented dominance of this Indian team in the World Cup arena. The Men in Blue have exhibited a remarkable performance in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, securing victories in all eight of their matches and firmly leading the points table.
"I'm going out on a limb to say this but this Indian team is probably the strongest team that India has ever had in ODIs. In World Cups for sure. There's no Indian team that has dominated like this current 2023 team. You have to pit it against other Indian teams which have done very well but it will run other teams very close to it being the greatest ODI team ever in terms of performances and pressure," said Karthik.
Karthik pointed out the team's strategic agility, noting the importance of making a crucial decision at the toss, especially considering the anticipated movement of the ball in the powerplay in Mumbai, where the semi-final is likely to be held. India, poised to face New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, is aware of the challenges posed by the conditions and the high stakes of the match. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Afghanistan are still contending for the remaining semi-final berth.
"It's in Mumbai, the first big decision, if they win the toss, will be if they would bat first or bowl first because there will be dew but then they will have to get past that first spell. The first 10 overs the ball swings and moves. There's no question what the level is going to be till the finals. It's going to be the same XI. Every players has ticked the box and is looking good for the semis," Karthik added.
With a formidable net run rate of +2.456 and a total of 16 points from eight matches, India has not only qualified for the knockout stages but has also secured the top position in their group. This impressive feat underscores the team's strength and consistency, reinforcing Karthik's assertion of this being the strongest Indian ODI team ever seen.
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