New Delhi: The Sandeep Patil-headed national selection committee is all set to finalise the preliminary list of 30 Indian probables today for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
According to BCCI sources, the list is expected to include a few proven but currently out-of-form cricketers.
Among the proven performers, who are currently not in their prime but were members of the victorious 2011 squad, are Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra.
Yuvraj, who won the Player of the Tournament award in the 2011 World Cup, has failed to impress with the bat in recent times. It will be interesting to see if the five wise men feel the southpaw is still good enough to be included in the preliminary list before it is pruned down by January 7 and sent to the ICC ahead of the February 14-March 29 mega event.
The 32-year-old Punjab left-hander has scored only one half century in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy and failed in the only innings he figured in for North Zone in the Deodhar Trophy. With two other players of similar style – Jadeja and Patel already in the scheme of things it would be interesting to see if the batting all-rounder manages to get the selectors’ mod.
The same is the case with explosive opener Virender Sehwag, who still pins hope of getting picked in the probables’ list. The Delhi batsman, who has been out of the national selectors’ radar for close to two years failed to shine in the domestic area of late.
The 36-year-old Sehwag’s scores, barring an innings of 80 against Haryana in the north zone one-day league, are nothing much to shout about.
Sehwag’s opening partner Gautam Gambhir, also a member of the victorious 2011 ensemble, has shown much better form and looks the more likely candidate to be among those picked in the preliminary list.
Among the bowlers, left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh will face stiff competition with the new breed but are among the most likely candidates to make the list despite not being in the best of form in recent times. (PTI)