5 reasons why India needs to win the 2015 Cricket World Cup

Given the current form of the Indian team, you can’t rule out their chances of being crowned World Champions for the second consecutive time. Only Australia and West Indies have been successful in defending the World Cups, and although India have had a brilliant start to the tournament, winning it requires a special effort altogether. Now, as Team India embarks on its third possible World Cup glory, we bring you five reasons that make it necessary for them to win this world Cup:

#1 Own the world stage

India defied the odds at the world stage in 1983 by winning the Cricket World Cup in England, defeating the mighty West Indies in the final. While it may have been seen as a major upset at that point of time, the tide has turned now: India is no more a minnow at the world stage and the Windies have lost the grip as the world leaders.

Though the image of Kapil Dev smiling and lifting the World Cup will remain as an eternal moment in Indian cricket, the team’s defining victory over the Caribbeans at Lord’s was termed a fluke by many of the keenest cricketing brains and hasn’t yet been given the credit it deserves.

Indian cricket, though, grew in stature since then as if to prove the doubters wrong, to show that it is not a one-off incident. After coming agonisingly close to the World Cup glory in 1996 and 2003, they eventually tasted success under the inspired leadership of MS Dhoni and brilliant all-around performances from the team in 2011. Not a single team had won a Cricket World Cup at their home before. The men in blue, though, showed the world that a World Cup can be won at home despite the immense media and crowd pressure. 

But unfortunately, the team wasn't given the due recognition again, this time they critics cited the home advantage as the reason. 

So, now, enough is enough. With the tournament being held in alien conditions, the Pool B toppers need to win it this time to shut the detractors up once and for all.