The bookmakers have probably taken note of this by installing Sourav Ganguly’s Indian side as joint third favourites to win the upcoming World Cup in South Africa at 8-1 odds.

Ever since their upset victory over the West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final in England, 20 years ago, India have failed to live up to expectations, finishing among the also-rans in subsequent outings.

India have not only flattered to deceive but they have also confounded the critics with a series of inconsistent performances, despite the presence of a number of world-class players on their roster.

There has always been an air of unpredictability and inconsistency with India in One-Day Internationals and even though they possess some of the world’s most attractive batsmen, they have been unable to assemble a triumphant unit.

The 2003 World Cup, which starts in South Africa on February 9, therefore presents India with yet another opportunity to show all and sundry that they have the necessary skills for success in limited overs cricket.

Drawn in Pool ‘A’ alongside defending champions Australia, Pakistan, England, Zimbabwe, the Netherlands and Namibia, India’s first hurdle will be to advance to the Super Six stage.

India go into the World Cup with mixed feelings after reaching the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in Colombo last September but then sinking to a 4-3 home defeat by the resurgent West Indies team.

In the series versus the West Indies, India were without Tendulkar while captain Ganguly and their two front-line spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh were noticeably missing for the last couple of matches.

A lot will now depend on what combination the Indian team opt for as well as the tactics of captain Ganguly and their coach John Wright, the former New Zealand opening batsman.

After enjoying substantial success as an opening batsman, India took the bold decision in recent times to move the prolific Tendulkar from the opening position to No.4 in an effort to stabilise the middle order.

While the move has reaped some rewards in unearthing the exciting and dazzling stroke-maker Virender Sehwag as Ganguly’s partner, the Indian team’s results have dwindled.

Sehwag has responded with five centuries in 57 matches while scoring at a rapid strike rate of 98.88 but the downside has been Tendulkar’s late arrival at the crease with overs running out.

Having amassed a record 11 546 runs in 303 ODIs, embellished by 33 centuries and 56 fifties, at an average of 43.73, every effort should be made to maximise Tendulkar’s batting talents.

India have also had a few problems with the crucial No.3 position in recent times with vice-captain Rahul Dravid, moving into this slot after left-hander Dinesh Mongia went off the boil following a unbeaten 159 against England.

Apart from Tendulkar, a lot will depend on Dravid, who has scored 6 181 runs in 196 ODIs at a respectable average of 38.39, spiced by eight centuries and 42 fifties.

Ganguly's role at the top of the order will also be significant. He is among the world’s most prolific One-Day batsmen with 19 centuries in a total of 8 255 runs in 218 matches at a rousing average of 42.33.

India have boldly invested in specialist One-Day players with the likes of Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh filling the middle order batting positions, behind Dravid and Tendulkar.

Both Kaif and Yuvraj have played crucial knocks for India while their athleticism and brilliance in the field have saved a fair share of runs for India.

Ajit Agarkar, who has raced to 166 wickets in 110 ODIs with his deceptive fast-medium bowling, has taken over the all-rounder role in the team. A knock of 95, batting at No.3 in the recent series against the West Indies, indicates he can be a useful batsman as well.

Of late, Sanjay Bangar, who has changed his sedate Test batting style into a stroke-making batsman, has challenged Agarkar as he is also a useful medium pacer.

India’s bowling attack will be led by veteran fast bowler Javagal Srinath, whose 299 wickets in 217 ODIs at an average of 28.35 and an economy rate of 4.46 runs per over, is the fifth most in One-Day cricket.

With Kumble, now fourth in the all-time list with 302 wickets in 237 ODIs, India have two very experienced bowlers while the emerging left-arm seam bowlers, Zaheer Khan (86 wickets in 56 matches) and Ashish Nehra, have been making steady progress.

The wily Harbhajan, with 83 scalps in 63 ODIs, at an average of 29.03, has the best economy rate among the Indian bowlers at 4.22 runs an over, closely followed by Kumble’s 4.24 rate.

An interesting feature of the Indian squad is that nearly all of their batsmen are capable of bowling in a crisis.

Tendulkar and Ganguly are probably the most underrated of the lot despite capturing 110 and 82 wickets at a fair economy rate of 4.97 and 5.00 runs an over respectively, for part-time bowlers.

Sehwag, Mongia and Yuvraj have all been frequently used by their captain and it would not be surprising if India shorten their list of specialist bowlers and utilise a couple of their batsmen to share at least 20 overs.

In the lead-up to the World Cup, India experimented with Dravid as wicketkeeper. But while this decision allows the team to play an extra batsman, it has also been quite costly with crucial chances going a-begging, at critical stages.

Recognising that Dravid’s wicket-keeping is still not at the standard expected at this level, the Indian selectors have included teenage wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel in the 15-member squad even though he has played a solitary One-day match.

One of India’s biggest problems is that they don’t play well outside the sub-continent, especially on bouncy pitches, which are expected in South Africa.

If their fortunes on foreign soil are to change, Ganguly and Sehwag must launch their innings with swift and sizeable opening partnerships while capitalising on the mandatory field restrictions in the first 15 overs.

It will then be left to Dravid and Tendulkar to stabilise the innings and build on whatever foundation has been constructed by their dashing opening pair. This leaves the likes of Yuvraj and Kaif to put on the final flourish in the closing overs.

On the bowling front, Srinath has the added incentive of becoming the fifth bowler to take 300 One-Day wickets.

Spin twins Kimble and Harbhajan must silence the critics by showing their mettle outside the sub-continent while the fast-improving Khan and Nehra face their sternest test on the biggest stage in One-Day cricket.

One can only hope for an amicable resolution to the ongoing problems over sponsorship endorsements between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the International Cricket Council.

The two bodies have been at loggerheads for the past year over clauses in the players’ contracts and this can affect India's fortunes on the field of play if the players are unable to concentrate exclusively on the job at hand.

Squad: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Mongia, Sanjay Bangar, Parthiv Patel, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble, Ashish Nehra.