The 13th edition of the 50-over World Cup got under way in Ahmedabad on Thursday heralding six weeks of high-octane action in a country madly in love with the game.
India, the twice champions, who last won the title when they were hosts in 2011, are the financial engine of the game, wielding considerable clout within the world governing International Cricket Council (ICC).
The team, led by Rohit Sharma, head into the tournament as the top-ranked one-day team and one of the tournament favourites, along with holders England and five-time winners Australia.
Cricketers in India enjoy rock-star status rivalled only by Bollywood actors, and earn the kind of money that remains a distant dream for most other sportspeople.
It also means they are under tremendous pressure to perform in big tournaments and that burden of expectation will only be heavier at their home World Cup.
New Zealand's stand-in captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field against England in the opening game of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Al Ain crushed 10-man Yokohama F Marinos 5-1 in the second leg of the Asian Champions League final on Saturday to register a 6-3 aggregate win and their first continental title in 21 years.
Fourteen-time French Open champion Rafa Nadal said there was still a chance this year's tournament in Paris may not be his last in comments ahead of his tough opener against fourth seed Alexander Zverev.
Outgoing Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said he was proud of his achievements with the club and was looking forward to being a fan again as he prepares to coach his final game against Sevilla.
World number one Novak Djokovic does not consider himself a favourite ahead of his title defence at the French Open, which begins with a first-round match against local hope Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Sunday.