Sachin Tendulkar
586 runs in 9 matches, including four half-centuries and a century.
With a strike rate of 90.43, the batting maestro has already stamped his mark on this World Cup. His innings of 98 against Pakistan at Centurion was special, and will be remembered for a long time by fans, including Pakistanis.
The so-called 'crack' bowling attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar was made to look ordinary and shabby by Tendulkar's brutal assault. Back to the opening slot, where he loves to bat at, Tendulkar has led the Indian batting from the front. The team that was nearly written off after the dismal performance against Australia early in the tournament now looks favorites for the world crown.
Much credit for that should go to the 'little champion's' brilliance. Going into the sem-finals, all of India is counting on Tendulkar to continue in his rich vein of form so that India captain Sourav Ganguly can hold aloft the trophy on March 23.
Sourav Ganguly
He was the first batsman in the ongoing World Cup to score two centuries. He produced a masterly hundred against the Kenyans, when his team had lost three early wickets and was in the dumps. His up-and-down form with the bat may continue, but he has still impressed with his captaincy.
He handled his bowlers really well in the two crucial games against England and Pakistan, particularly the so-called 5th and 6th bowling options, and in the Super Six match against Sri Lanka.
In the Kenyan game, he looked the Ganguly of old, a class batsman who could win matches on his own. If he carries on his good form in the remaining games, there is nothing that can keep India from emerging victors.
Rahul Dravid
India's vice-captain has been a revelation, a source of inspiration for the rest of the team. His wicketkeeping has been good, if not brilliant, and his batting exemplary.
He played some useful innings, including one against Pakistan, where he stayed put till the end after Tendulkar's dismissal. Against England too he batted well, anchoring the innings and scoring the vital runs at the end.
He is the perfect foil for attacking batsmen like Tendulkar, Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh.
Yuvraj Singh
The young Turk of the Indian team has shown maturity beyond his years. The two half centuries he scored against Pakistan and Kenya spoke volumes for his temperament. The knock against Kenya was particularly impressive as India had lost a few wickets and needed to score at around six runs per over.
Yuvraj played a little cameo which took the game away from the east Africans. For sometime now, he has been India's best fielder along with Mohammad Kaif, and can also turn his arm when required.
Javagal Srinath
Call him an old warhorse or whatever, but the 34-year-old fast bowler, who has carried the burden of India's bowling for over a decade on his shoulders, has been the driving force behind the World Cup campaign. Along with Australia's Glenn McGrath he is currently one of the best fast bowlers in the world.
It is not his speed that is getting him wickets but his line and length. He showed that age is no impediment to getting a batsman out as he claimed four wickets for 35 runs as Sri Lanka were routed in the Super Six match. The haul took his tournament tally to 14.
Last June, Srinath had announced his retirement from Tests but maintained that he wanted to save himself for the shorter version of the game. Clearly, though at the time he was criticised for "picking and choosing" what he would play.
The national selectors in fact "punished" him by leaving him out of the squad for the NatWest Trophy in England. Now he has vindicated his decision to play only in the shorter version of the game.
Ashish Nehra
He's been the real find for India in this tournament. Always under criticism for not performing to full potential, the left arm fast bowler displayed some fine examples of rhythmic swing and fast bowling.
He was a medium pacer, but in this tournament he shocked everyone with his sheer pace. He ripped the heart of English batting at Durban. In fact, it was a one-man show as none of the English batsmen had any clue to his lethal bowling. He took six wickets and recorded his career best ODI figures of 6-23. Till as recently as last December, Nehra used to regularly clock 136 kmph on the speed gun.
Try as he did, the Delhi paceman could barely graduate from being a medium fast bowler to a fast bowler. But at this World Cup, though, the transformation has been complete. Against Zimbabwe, in the first round, he touched 149 kmph and since then has regularly bowled over 140 kmph. Way to go!
