Top5: Reasons why India will win the Cricket World Cup

Last weeks game between Bangladesh and India proved a bit inevitable, with India coming out easy winners and progressing into the Semi Finals of the Cricket World Cup.

This has led India to playing Australia on Thursday night at the SCG.  While India's record against Australia in Australia this summer isn't exactly glittering, there are firm reasons why India should be regarded as favourites, including:

5. Runs, lots of runs.
Put simply, the Indian team can bat the hell out of cricket.  Their openers include a bloke who has 2 ODI double centuries to his name and the talent doesn't really level off until you get into their bowlers.

This level of talent has allowed India to set menacing totals through the tournament, which could be challenging to Australia who have more of a hit-or-miss approach to batting, while also allowing them to chase seemingly any target.

And this is just their last 5 games.

This World Cup has seen games won through big scores and India are the biggest scorers of all. 
 
4. Form and Confidence
One criticism you could make of India is their engagement with the press, they seem totally disinterested and give very general remarks.  They don't seem to know who they are playing or care.

They are strutting.

While they came into this tournament with an unimpressive record, they have turned their form around in the bat of an eye.  They were focussing on the World Cup, this is the tournament they are here for, they are focussed on winning and they are doing it.

3. Rain
Australia is a Country in the Southern Hemisphere.  Our Summers occur from November through February, then we hit Autumn in March.  It is in March that the sun stops to shine so much and it starts to rain.
 
This may seem obvious but still be news to the organisers of the World Cup.

For the uninitiated: Rain.

Scheduling a finals series for the end of March in Australia means that it is very likely that it will rain and matches will get washed out, or interrupted.

This suits India down to the ground due to their scoring ability and their lack of ability in losing wickets.  Should games be reduced and decided by the Duckworth-Lewis method, its very likely to be in Indias favour with their fire-power. 

2. Ravindra Jadeja 
Jadeja is the best spin bowler of the last 3 teams in the World Cup & the 2 remaining teams aren't great players of spin, this puts India in a unique position to win the tournament as they can have more variable bowling plans and attacks.

He also grows a sweet 'mo

Daniel Vettori has been excellent for New Zealand, with his influence in the game against Australia changing the momentum away from Australia and ultimately winning it.  That being said, Vettori is hardly spinning the ball and doesn't bat as well as Jadeja.

Glenn Maxwell for Australia is becoming a good holding bowler, but will be of little threat to India.  Maxwell can change a game with his batting, but then so can any of the Indian top 7.

Jadeja has a similar ability to change games with the ball as Vettori but has done so more regularly throughout the competition.  Expect the opposition to be wary of him, which will reduce run scoring at the very least. 

1. Injuries
Put simply, India have'nt suffered any major injuries in this tournament or leading up to it.  Their XI is settled and in good form.

They are the form and healthy side going into the Semi Finals and it will take a real upset to defeat them.