The performance of the Indian bowlers has been very good: Geoffrey Boycott

MS Dhoni is a lot more comfortable when he has runs on the board: Geoffrey Boycott

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott has praised the Indian bowlers for keeping the opposition under check by bowling keeping it simple and maintaining a tight line, despite the pitches not offering a lot of help.

“Although bowlers have had a tough time in this World Cup, the Indian bowlers, who were not well known, bowled really well. There is no movement for bowlers but these bowlers bowled a wonderful line and length. They bowled so tight a line against Pakistan that they put the pressure on the batsmen. Pakistan batsmen found it hard to get runs and were out," he said

Boycott said the current edition of World Cup is tailor-made for batsmen with placid pitches offering minimal assistance to bowlers and short-sized boundaries only adding to the misery. He also added that India’s strength has always been their batting and felt that MS Dhoni is lot more at ease when his batsman have put the runs on the board.

"I think it is because this is a batsman's World Cup. You look at the flat decks, shortish boundaries, heavy bats, no spin or turn and you look at the field restrictions. Its easier than ever for the batsman, more difficult for the bowlers. And I think India's strength is batting, they have always had good batsmen. So batting first, I believe India will be a threat, a big threat," Boycott told ESPN Cricinfo.

"I also think Dhoni as a captain is more comfortable when his team posts a big score and then defends it. That is the key where Dhoni is comfortable. So for me the toss is important to a lot of teams, but I think it is more important for India," the 74-year-old said.

“When you bat first and you have a good batting line-up, there is less pressure, players have no inhibitions, they play with freedom, they can express themselves because batting is their forte. And when you bat first you don't know what score you are going to get, what score is going to be best,” he added.