AUSTRALIA - 

Batting – 4

A reliance on the excellent David Warner and Steve Smith needs to be tempered by more consistency from experienced players Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell.

Travis Head – with two fifties and a century in his last four ODIs – is also worth keeping an eye on, and is available to top score for his side in the tournament at  .

Bowling – 5

The tournament’s outstanding pace attack.

Led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, they have restricted their opponent to below 300 in six of their last seven ODIs and have wicket-takers for every stage of the innings.

Fielding – 4

Led by Steve Smith, Australia’s standards are bound to be high in the field.

Wicket-keeper Matthew Wade, however, is vulnerable, and represents the Aussies’ biggest weakness.

Tournament nous – 4

Hardly renowned for their humility, Smith’s side are unlikely to be fazed by much over the next fortnight.

But how this format’s world champions perform amid the ongoing pay dispute with their board could decide their fate.

Total - 17/20

INDIA - 

Batting – 5

With five half-centuries and four tons in his last 13 ODI outings, Virat Kohli is evidently the man to stop in this tournament.

He is not operating alone, though.

India registered more than 300 in all of their three January ODIs against England, while seven other players have racked up centuries since the start of 2016.

Bowling – 4

How helpful spinners Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja find the English pitches will be pivotal, but Kohli’s pace options are more than useful, too.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has had success in England in the past, while Jasprit Bumrah’s death bowling renders him one of the best young seamers in the competition.

He is available at to end the tournament as India’s top wicket-taker. 

Fielding – 3

Overly-emotional captaincy from Kohli could prompt some untidiness, but India have sharpened up considerably in this part of the game.

They have been known to crumble in England previously, but shouldn’t succumb similarly in a global tournament.

Tournament nous – 5

Used to red-carpet celebrity existence back home, India should also flourish in this event.

They are the holders of the title, and will fancy their latter-stage experience to mark them out ahead of the rest of the field. 

Total - 16/20

ENGLAND - 

Batting – 5

By some distance England’s strongest suit.

Hoping and praying that crumbling to 20-6 against South Africa was merely a false alarm, the hosts' line-up – smart, skilful and powerful – is verging on flawless.

Bowling – 3

Much improved now that the new-ball and death bowlers have been clearly defined, but England must be at their very best without exception to win this competition.

That includes some consistency from you-never-know-what-you’re-going-to-get-type spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid – though the latter’s wicket-taking record is excellent – and depends on Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes overcoming injury problems.

Rashid can be backed at to lead England’s wicket-taking charts.

Fielding – 4

Occasional slip-ups are frustrating as from one to 11 England are terrific athletes.

Again, the fitness of Stokes is crucial in this department. The world’s best all-rounder sets the tone.

Tournament nous – 3

Defeat in the final of this competition three years ago will linger in the minds of a few, though that was an ODI team in a very different guise.

Heartbreakingly missing out on the World T20 title 14 months ago proved their ability to go deep in tournaments, but means they are still to prove their bottle when the heat is on.

Total - 15/20

SOUTH AFRICA - 

Batting – 4

Opening pair Quinton de Kock – to top South Africa’s run-scoring – and Hashim Amla undoubtedly represent a significant strength.

Other than AB de Villiers, though, the middle order features several bits-and-pieces players who do not regularly build on good starts. 

Bowling – 4

Like Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada is a fast bowler to watch over the next fortnight.

World No.1 Imran Tahir takes middle-overs wickets, too, but comes into the tournament with uncertainty over his fitness.

Fielding – 3

The Proteas were surprisingly ragged in the recent series against England.

Not only did they drop several catches, but one or two players – notably Amla – were targeted as weak links. They should improve, though.

Tournament nous – 2

South Africa’s ‘chokers’ tag is becoming more and more of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Not only do they clearly possess such a characteristic after so many tournament stumbles, they will also face questions about little else if they reach the latter stages this time around.

Total - 13/20