<P> As one of the host nations for the 2011 World Cup, India were expected to perform well in familiar conditions, and were considered pre-tournament favourites by the media and press . Like in 2007, India came into the World Cup on a string of strong performances, with back - to - back series wins against Australia and New Zealand at home, followed by a moderately successful tour of South Africa . </P> <P> The Indian team were generally considered to be the strongest batting side in the tournament, comprising the openers Virender Sehwag and veteran Sachin Tendulkar, playing in his 6th consecutive World Cup, followed by Gautam Gambhir and rising star Virat Kohli, with Yuvraj Singh, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina completing the star - studded batting line - up . While the bowling attack was considered more suspect, three veterans in pacers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra and offspinner Harbhajan Singh were joined by Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Shantakumaran Sreesanth . The 1996 World Cup format was used for the tournament, following widespread criticism, particularly from the BCCI, over the 2007 format . India were placed in Group B in the Group stage alongside co-hosts Bangladesh, South Africa, England, the West Indies and associates Holland and Ireland . </P> <P> India's 2011 World Cup campaign started with an 87 - run win against Bangladesh at Dhaka . With centuries from Sehwag (175 from 140 balls, 14 fours, 5 sixes) and Kohli (100 not out from 83 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes) India scored 4 / 370. Virat Kohli becomes first Indian to score century in worldcup debut match . Fast bowler Munaf (4 - 48) took 4 wickets during the Bangladesh reply, including that of opener Tamim Iqbal (70 from 86 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) as Bangladesh scored 9 / 283 in 50 overs to fall short . </P> <P> India next played England at Bangalore, which was a thriller . On a batting - friendly track at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, India chose to bat first . Tendulkar (120 from 115 balls, 10 fours, 5 sixes) lashed his way through the English attack, ably supported by Gambhir (51 from 61 balls, 5 fours) and Yuvraj (58 from 50 balls, 9 fours). After the 45th over, India were 305 / 3 and were looking to pass 350 during the batting Powerplay . Instead, English bowler Tim Bresnan (5 - 48) engineered a collapse with four quick wickets in 16 deliveries, as India slumped to a still - formidable total of 338 all out . England started their run chase by blasting 77 runs off the first 10 overs . Skipper Andrew Strauss (158 from 145 balls, 18 fours, 1 six) decimated the Indian bowling attack with unparalleled ferocity, and was supported by Ian Bell (69 from 71 balls, 4 fours, 1 six). At 2 / 280 in the 43rd over, England was cruising to an extraordinary victory . However, Zaheer responded by taking the wickets of Strauss, Bell, and Paul Collingwood in 11 deliveries, as England were reduced to 289 / 6 . Tailenders Bresnan, Graeme Swann, and Ajmal Shahzad each hit massive sixes in the final few overs to regain some momentum, and Swann scored 13 runs off the final over to salvage a tie with India (338 / 8 in 50 overs). It was only the fourth tied match in World Cup history . </P>

The first world cup winning captain of the indian cricket team was