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India in Sri Lanka 2010
Yuvraj recalled for Sri Lanka Tests
Sidharth Monga
June 26, 2010
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News : Barren bowling stocks herald tricky selection
Series/Tournaments:
India tour of Sri Lanka
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India
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Yuvraj Singh, who was dropped for the recently concluded Asia Cup, has been recalled to India's squad for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka starting July 18. Suresh Raina, who has been part of Test squads before as injury cover, made it as a first-choice player for the first time. As expected, the selectors went back to Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth to partner Zaheer Khan in the pace department, and three spinners were selected, which meant both Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha were in. A 16-man member squad was chosen to include a reserve wicketkeeper, Wriddhiman Saha.
Earlier this month, Yuvraj was dropped from the limited-overs side for the first time since he cemented his place in the early 2000s. Fitness, more than form, was seen as the reason behind the move: he hadn't been in droppable form in international cricket. The drop was seen as a necessary wake-up call for him. Captain MS Dhoni, however, is a big fan of Yuvraj's talent, and could have insisted that he be recalled. The selectors perhaps thought that the necessary message had been delivered.
The other middle-order selection was due. Raina was part of the squad for India's last Test, against South Africa in February, but only because of a spate of injuries. Since then he has shown he can survive in international cricket despite an obvious weakness against the short ball. It cannot be denied that he has been scoring consistently despite that awkwardness.
A week after he played a winning hand against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, ticking the box of performing in pressure situations, Raina is confident, willing and fit. It is perhaps the best time to put him through the big test, to find out if he can emulate the likes of Steve Waugh and Sourav Ganguly, who were successful in Tests even though Waugh eliminated the hook shot and Ganguly always had to work hard to fight his weakness against the short ball. To think of Waugh and Ganguly is a step too far, but Raina deserved a chance to fail, and he has earned it.
Ishant and Sreesanth, part of India's last Test squad, have gone through pretty ordinary times in limited-overs cricket since then, both in the IPL and while playing for India. They were duly dropped, but are still the best bets for the Test side. More so because none of the alternatives tried in their absence have impressed enough. And Ashish Nehra is not willing to play Tests, while Praveen Kumar is strictly a limited-overs bowler.
More importantly, this selection could point to a practical outlook from the selectors, that of having identified Ishant and Sreesanth as Test specialists, and having realised the need to protect them from the excessive one-day cricket, which could have played a part in their downfall.
Lack of alternatives could have prompted India to go for three spinners, giving Ojha another chance in a Test squad. India, however, are likely to play two seamers and two spinners barring extraordinary circumstances, and the three-day game at Nondescripts Cricket Club should provide a good competition between Ishant and Sreesanth, and Mishra and Ojha.
Squad: MS Dhoni (wk & capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag (vice-capt.), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, M Vijay, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Wriddhiman Saha (wk)
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo
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© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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I think selectors are not doing justice to Rohit Sharma, he has proven his work time and again, Selectors do not play with talents, they are hard to find.
Posted by Sachin_Mishra on (July 02 2010, 18:19 PM GMT)Hello Mr. Srikant, You were my batting hero since my childhood, but now the decisions you are taking is just showing your lake of cricketing knowladge. Even a layman can give better team as you are selecting. Please try to select boys those who are performing in domestics circuit on regular basis. Pujara and Rahane are much more deserving candidates as compare to Yuvraj who is not in form. Irafan is the best allrounder available for selection atleast before world cup you can do experiment. Please don't try to do the experiments in world cup as your predesesors did.
Posted by mahi678 on (July 02 2010, 14:38 PM GMT)I dont know why people give important to amit mishra over pragnan ohja. ohja is more younger and done well in international cricket. his records are better than amit and even bhajji!!
Posted byI dnt know why people want to include R Jadeja.. he is simply worst and not fit in front of better teams. He needs to be matured. Team selection is pretty good. D.Kartik would have been selected inplace of W.Shaha... rest every thing is perfect.
Posted by peterss on (July 01 2010, 22:22 PM GMT)This team selection isnt that great! where is Badri and why not D Karthik? This isnt smart and badri doesnt seem to get his chance at all. He utilised whatever he got to perfection. Growing old and when is he gonna get his chance?! Someone needs to replace the fab four.....
Posted by Ramesh.D on (July 01 2010, 12:25 PM GMT)Where is Virat Kohli??? Some one has to replace dravid and lakshman and even Master batsman Sachin(due to his fitness, maybe) in near future. I would have been happy if Kohli is included in the team. Just to get a test match experience, he is placing his innings very well in both shorter format of the games. Why can't we try him longer format??? Hope srikanth will consider this in next series, since he can select only 15 for the side and only 11 can play on the field. :) :)
Posted by touchmate_2006 on (July 01 2010, 09:11 AM GMT)best 11- MS Dhoni(wk&capt),V Sehwag(vc),G Gambhir,R Dravid,S Tendulkar,Y Singh,H Singh,Z Khan,A Mishra,I Sharma,Sreesanth
Posted by cricbee on (July 01 2010, 06:51 AM GMT)@Anurag patil, you should learn about line, length, variation, bowling avg etc...before questioning the inclusion of R Jadeja in international team. Or better only watch IPL
Posted by sudarsn on (June 30 2010, 12:09 PM GMT)Mr srikanth and co shud have taken into consideration the on going india A side in england, there was no need to rush yuvaraj for test,he shud understand his value of player in the side, he shud learn from rahul,vvs,sachin as to how modest they r in their life style and still pressure is on them,why shud a vvs or rahul give away there places when they r still performing ,the selectors instead shud have given a chance to pujara,unadhkad the young lefty seamer,kartik (wk and opener),rohit sharma instead of saha,vijay,yuvi,sreeshanth..my team is, msd,ghambir shewag dravid,sachin vvs pujara,rohitsharma,sureshraina,kartik,zkhan,ishanthsharma,unadhghat,harbajan,chawla,abdulla(leftarm spinner), by this mix there will be encouragement for the india s boys they will also learn from seniors and slowly the transition begins.
Posted by NIS59104 on (June 30 2010, 07:33 AM GMT)I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH SRIKANTH,OR HE IS JUST PLAYING POLITICS OF SELECTION, WHY COME SAHA, M.VIJAY ARE SELECTED. IF NEEDED SECOND KEEPER WHAT WRONG WITH KARTIK OR PARTHIV WHO HAVE SCORED SO MANY RUNS IN RANJI,AND WHY NOT ROHIT SHARMA OR UTTHAPPA ARE GIVEN CHANCES,WE HAVE SEEN M.VIJAY BATTING IN ZIMBABWE, HE IS NOT DESERVING,WHY NOT IRFAN PATHAN GIVEN CHANCES...