Cricket followers around the globe are eagerly ready to witness the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, which can kick-start from October 5. In the opening match, defending champions England will likely be squaring off towards the primary runners-up of the 2019 World Cup, New Zealand, in Ahmedabad. The host nation India will likely be taking up Australia of their marketing campaign opener on October 8 in Chennai. Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has chosen England as his favourites to win the upcoming World Cup.

Gavaskar said that the Jos Buttler-led aspect has bought a terrific bowling line-up and in addition consists of three “world-class all-rounders” who can change the sport.

“The defending champions, England, because of the kind of talent that they have at, at the top of the order, the batting order, they’ve got two or three world-class all-rounders who can change the game with both bat and ball. They’ve also got a very good bowling line-up, an experienced bowling line-up, so at the moment in my book certainly,” Gavaskar stated on Star Sports.

On the opposite hand, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan backed Team India and said that the hosts are are “ticking all the boxes” and are one of many favorites to carry the coveted ICC trophy.

“I’m very excited to see how India performs and I really think they are one of the favorites, for sure because especially last couple of series, like Asia Cup, and the way India played against Australia as well in the home conditions. I think they are ticking all the boxes,” stated Pathan.

“They have players who are performing really well but you have a guy like Mohammed Shami, who’s not in the part of playing 11 consistently, who’s a world-class bowler itself, so it shows the kind of team India has and at the same time the bench strength India has,” he added.

Ahead of the World Cup, Team India will play their first warm-up match towards England on Saturday in Guwahati.