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'Confident' India can beat Australia in World Cup, says VVS Laxman

'Beating Pakistan gave MS Dhoni's men huge boost'

Image: Umesh Yadav (centre) has been one of many bowling stars for India, taking 14 wickets

VVS Laxman says India have regained their confidence and will pose a big threat to Australia in their World Cup semi-final in Sydney.

India are unbeaten, winning seven from seven, at the World Cup having failed to register a Test or ODI win in three months prior to the tournament.

Laxman feels the scheduling of their fixtures has inspired their turnaround in fortunes, saying: “It helped that India played Pakistan in their first game, because whenever they play Pakistan they raise their level.

“They beat them in convincing fashion and then they immediately played South Africa. Those two wins at the start of the tournament got back the morale and the lost confidence from the Tests and Tri-Series.

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“Since then, they’ve not been able to stop. And nobody has been able to put pressure on.

“Australia certainly will and for me, the key is how India’s bowlers handle that pressure. Australia have a dangerous batting line-up, they’ve got aggressive batsmen.

“It’s going to be a high scoring game – man-to-man in the batting department, the teams match. From one to seven there are match-winners.

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“But India’s bowlers are less experienced. Will they succumb to, or will they thrive under the pressure?”

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India’s bowlers have impressed at the World Cup, bowling out the opposition in each of their seven wins, something which has pleasantly surprised Laxman.

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A look back at Mohammed Shami's four wickets for India against Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup.

“The way the bowlers have transformed their talent and potential into winning games for India has been a revelation,” added Laxman. “They’re always looking to take wickets. I’ve been really impressed.

“The three pace bowlers – Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma – are fantastic and in Ravichandran Ashwin, I feel India have one of the best spin bowlers on display in this tournament.

“For him to have so much success and take wickets regularly in Australia, especially in the middle overs, India are very blessed to have him in form.

“They’ve got a very good chance of winning and if you’d have asked me two months ago, I’d have said no.

“But the way that they’ve been playing, right from the first game, I think they can defend their title. They’ve already been playing like champions.”

Watch Australia versus India from 3am on Thursday on Sky Sports World Cup (channel 403).

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