Opinion Powered by Kohli and Shami, the Indian juggernaut has rolled into the World Cup final

It’s a dream that 11 on the cricket field, and countless outside, are living together. At Wankhede, late in the semi-final, New Zealand had tried to pinch the faithful awake with their resistance, but India’s magnificent World Cup campaign continued undeterred. Turning up at nine World Cup venues, the team led by the starter par excellence, Rohit Sharma, who sets the tone without fail, has lit up every match they played. Sharma rams out of the starting blocks, Shubman Gill is carrying forward a rich batting legacy and Virat Kohli is promising to become an all-time great. Kohli reached his 50th ODI 100 to go past the Master, in front of Sachin Tendulkar, in what was a setting of cricketing perfection, to take India into the final. Shreyas Iyer has racked up rollicking middle order runs, KL Rahul is ever-dependable, and Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are giving India moments of pure, unadulterated joy, running through batting lineups with pomp and splendour.

India are looking like an unstoppable juggernaut, the strongest fielded in the World Cups. Not even the 1983 or 2011 Cup winning units carried the aura that this bunch does with its boldness of approach and conviction in strategy. This Indian team might well finish on par with Clive Lloyd’s Windies and any of the champion Australian units from the past. India of 2023 could end up as one of the all-time great teams that blends entertainment with success. This will be a redemption arc for both captain Rohit Sharma who wasn’t picked for the 2011 edition and for Rahul Dravid whose earnest efforts from 1999 through to 2007 came a cropper. India’s jinx in ICC knockouts for the last 10 years, could end with a glorious Cup at home.

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The fans have been packing the stadiums across the country to celebrate; Indian wins were already normalised half-way through the tournament. And that’s how the unbeaten script ran in the semi-final too. It has all felt like one big party and now just the final remains. There’s anticipation in the air about reaching the pinnacle of dominance this Sunday, where India don’t just win another World Cup, but stomp their way like the game’s biggest superpower. At Ahmedabad, Rohit Sharma’s men promise to not just win India its third World Cup and match the iconic Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni. There’s also the delicious wait for what Sharma, Kohli and Shami could do next.