India's form a warning signal to other teams: RP Singh

Pool B table-toppers India humbled UAE to register their third straight win in the World Cup and virtually booked their quarterfinal spot.

NEW DELHI: With India winning three matches in a row, pacer R P Singh believes the defending champions have found form at the right time, sending out a warning signal to other teams in the ongoing ODI cricket World Cup.

Pool B table-toppers India humbled UAE to register their third straight win in the World Cup and virtually booked their quarterfinal spot.

After a lacklustre showing in the Test series against Australia and the tri-series that followed, India look a totally different side and RP could not agree more.

"India definitely looks like the team to beat in this World Cup so far and I am sure the other teams are watchful of this young Indian side," RP, who is part of the commentary panel on Star Sports, told PTI after India's nine-wicket win over UAE in Perth.

India's clinical showing continued in their third match as the bowling, sans injured Mohammad Shami, proved quite a handful against an inexperienced UAE line-up and packed the minnows for 102 in 31.3 overs. RP was impressed with the efforts of the Indian seamers.

"I am impressed by some of the swing bowling by the Indian seamers today. It was particularly heartening to see that the bowlers were able to take help from the pitch," the left-arm Uttar Pradesh pacer, who has represented India in 14 Tests and 58 ODIs, said.

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Umesh Yadav, who started the wicket-taking, bagged two wickets from 6.3 overs and pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar got 1 from his 5. RP was impressed with the new-ball bowlers, who made their presence felt in Shami's absence.

"Umesh Yadav was fantastic today, he made full use of the pitch conditions and left UAE batsmen stunned. Bhuvneshwar Kumar who was under pressure replacing the in-form Shami also delivered a great performance to his credit, especially with his outswingers," RP, who last represented India in 2011 against England, said.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin though was the pick of the Indian bowlers, bagging four wickets on a bouncy WACA pitch as left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with two scalps.

Earlier, India had got past arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening encounter at the Adelaide Oval and then inflicted an embarrassing 130-run loss against South Africa in their second ODI.

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The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side faces West Indies in its next fixture, who are in complete opposite run of form after their heavy loss against the Proteas recently.

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ICC World Cup 2015: Men who will make a difference

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Text: ET Bureau

Stephen Fleming was one of the most thinking captains of world cricket.

Let's see who the former New Zealand skipper picks as he chooses the men who will make the difference during the World Cup...

Text: ET Bureau

Stephen Fleming was one of the most thinking captains of world cricket.

Let's see who the former New Zealand skipper picks as he chooses the men who will make ..

Read More

Knowing him as I do from our time together at the Chennai Super Kings I just have a feeling he could do something special.

It is true he has nothing to prove - he won the tournament on home soil as captain with a six, for goodness sake - but he thrives on the big stage in the biggest matches.

He loves being part of and winning battles and as he showed in the 2011 final, when he pushed himself up the order, he can be a catalyst for his team.

Knowing him as I do from our time together at the Chennai Super Kings I just have a feeling he could do something special.

It is true he has nothing to prove - he won the tournament on home s..

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Everyone is raving about AB de Villiers after his world record hundred from just 31 balls - and rightly so - but Faf du Plessis can be just as effective and destructive.

I know his ability having coached him at Chennai Super Kings. He is unorthodox but very driven and he has taken his game forward with huge strides in the past 12 to 18 months.

He is capable of digging in or blitzing the opposition and he will be a wicket every opposition side will be desperate to get and get early.

Everyone is raving about AB de Villiers after his world record hundred from just 31 balls - and rightly so - but Faf du Plessis can be just as effective and destructive.

I know his ability ha..

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Everyone knows that with Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka has a batting lineup to rank with every other side.

But without the retired Muttiah Muralitharan it is their bowling that will come under the microscope and so Malinga really must deliver.

He has lost some pace and comes into the tournament recovering from injury but if he can rise to the challenge then he can lift those around him; if not, it could get ugly for an attack that otherwise lacks that X-factor.

Everyone knows that with Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka has a batting lineup to rank with every other side.

But without the retired M..

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Eoin can be a match-winner in two ways: as captain and batsman.

The team needed a breath of fresh air and someone to lead by example and his hundred in the opening match of the pre-ICC Cricket World Cup tri-series against Australia will give him confidence.

If he gets runs then others can feed off that and although it is too early to know what sort of captain he is, if he can encourage some positivity and belief then England could, just could, be contenders.

Eoin can be a match-winner in two ways: as captain and batsman.

The team needed a breath of fresh air and someone to lead by example and his hundred in the opening match of the pre-ICC Cricke..

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When Afridi is on his game he can drag the team along almost singlehandedly.

His bowling has been consistently excellent and against New Zealand late last year he also added surprising maturity to his long-forgotten batting while still retaining his devastating ability to hit hard and long.

If he shines he will also take the pressure off others and as it is his last ICC Cricket World Cup, he will want to go out with a bang.

When Afridi is on his game he can drag the team along almost singlehandedly.

His bowling has been consistently excellent and against New Zealand late last year he also added surprising maturi..

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There is lots of focus, and rightly so, on Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, but if Taylor can complement those two at No. 4 then that really will take New Zealand to a new level.

His form at the start of last year against India hinted at what he can do, as did his barnstorming innings against Pakistan in Pallekele four years ago, and he offers skills as either a stabiliser or a devastating finisher.

He will also feed off his mentor Martin Crowe's inspiration given Crowe's role as a Kiwi talisman 23 years ago.

There is lots of focus, and rightly so, on Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, but if Taylor can complement those two at No. 4 then that really will take New Zealand to a new level.

His for..

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There is lots of attention on David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top of the order but Maxwell is the man who, if he is hot, is capable of winning matches on his own.

I saw that first-hand in last year's Pepsi Indian Premier League when, for Kings XI Punjab, he destroyed Chennai Super Kings single-handedly.

He is unorthodox and I would use him as a floater in the order, give him license to go for his shots and fill him full of positive thoughts.

He is not a player you should count on every time but in tournaments like this, where you need big performances in big matches, he can be the difference between winning and losing.

There is lots of attention on David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top of the order but Maxwell is the man who, if he is hot, is capable of winning matches on his own.

I saw that first-hand in..

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The new, young captain holds the fortunes of the side in his hands.

The team has the potential to be a fractured environment after the omissions of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo and his ability to pull the players together and get them fighting for the cause will be fundamental.

He can do that through leadership and also through performances with bat and ball.

If he cannot lift the team through action and deed then the wheels could easily fall off.

The new, young captain holds the fortunes of the side in his hands.

The team has the potential to be a fractured environment after the omissions of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo and his abi..

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