'Our confidence as a winning team is back'

As we fly out to the West Indies this week, there is just one question on everybody's mind: Will India win the World Cup and repeat the victory of 1983? I am no astrologer but, going by the team's morale, I can tell you that there is a very good chance. Our confidence as a winning combination is back - particularly after our victory in the home series against Sri Lanka.

Let's take a quick look at the team. We are a very balanced lot, have the best openers and wicketkeeper. Our middle order is very strong and we have the best combination of seamers and spinners.

I would say that spin is the mantra that India will bank on - particularly on the wickets in the Caribbean which are slow and offer low bounce. We have two frontline spinners in our squad and a couple of others good enough to share the burden. This World Cup will also be Anil Kumble's one-day swan song. I know what this means to Jumbo, who would be eager to bow out in glory.

To add teeth to the bowling mix there is Sachin Tendulkar, whom the West Indian legend Garfield Sobers recently described as a very clever bowler. There will of course be modest contributions from Yuvraj Singh and myself.

What is the weakest link of Team India? I would say it is the fielding. We're all working hard on our fielding, to avert the mistakes made on our last trip to the West Indies. We definitely cannot afford those if we want to win the Cup this time. Every facet of our performance has to be just right if we want to bag the honours. The battle lines are drawn. The competition is tough, to say the least. We're all preparing ourselves,in the best manner possible, to do what it takes to come back with the Cup.