Selectors likely to mull over Yuvraj Singh’s inclusion in Cup squad
Mumbai: The out-of-favour Yuvraj Singh's brilliant domestic form will weigh on the selectors when they meet here on Tuesday to pick the squads for the ODI tri-series gainst Australia and England besides the World Cup next month.
Yuvraj, who was not picked even in the preliminary list of 30 probables on December 4 last, has since come back into contention by striking three back-to-back hundreds against Haryana, Maharashtra and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy.
The hard-hitting left-hander, significantly the man of the 2011 World Cup that was won by India and scorer of over 8000 runs from 293 ODIs, also got among the wickets with his left-arm spin on the placid track in the match at Rajkot.
With there being a question mark over Ravindra Jadeja, undergoing rehabilitation for his throwing shoulder currently, Yuvraj would weigh significantly on the selectors' mind while choosing the Cup squad. There is another player of similar style who is almost certain to be picked, Gujarat's Axar Patel, already in Australia as a late replacement for Jadeja.
It will all boil down to whether the selectors, as well as captain Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher, who will be on conference call from Australia, feel it makes sense in putting the clock back on Yuvraj, a proven customer in the shorter formats of the game.
At 33, Yuvraj, who did not figure in any India squad in 2014, is not too old to merit consideration, especially with doubts arising over Jadeja who is unlikely to be fit for the triangular series in Australia commencing later this month.
The Cricket Board expects Jadeja to regain full control of his injured body part before the February 14-March 29 mega event to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
"According to our assessment Jadeja can start to train and throw with his left hand from January 7," said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel ahead of the selection meeting. The Saurashtra cricketer is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Chennai.
The ICC rules also do not debar the selectors from changing their mind and including a player not in the original list of probables, according to BCCI sources. The selectors will also mull on Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has not taken any part in the first three Tests of the four-game series now in progress, because of an injury.
