Selectors should take a call on the futures of Dhoni and Yuvraj, claims Rahul Dravid

Legendary Indian batsman Rahul Dravid feels it is high time for the Indian selectors to sort out the futures of senior cricketers MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh in the national team. Dravid, who is hailed as one of best Test batsmen to take the willow in hand, stated that the management should gear up for the 2019 World Cup accordingly.

After a horrific defeat against rivals Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, team India will now lock horns against the West Indies in a five-match ODI series. The former Indian captain expects the selectors to give the youngsters a chance to prove their worth in the series.

“It is a call that is got to be taken by the selectors and the management,” Dravid told ‘ESPNCricinfo’ when asked about future of Yuvraj and Dhoni, who were the team’s number four and five in the Champions Trophy. The right-handed batsmen do not want the team to fall short of options in the future.

“And what they see as the road map for Indian cricket, and where they see the role of both these cricketers going ahead for the next couple of years. Is there a place for both of them? Is there a place for only one of them?

“Do you want to reassess it in a year’s time, six months’ time? Do you want to look at the available talent and see what they have to offer before going back to these two players,” added Dravid.

“They have taken a decision to go to the West Indies with a full-strength squad. I really hope they are willing to experiment at least in the playing XI and give more opportunities to people.

“If you don’t do that, suddenly you don’t want to come to a situation and, say, in a year’s time, where you say, ‘We haven’t given people chances so these are the only guys we have got.’

According to Dravid, the promising young talents should be tested before turning to Yuvraj and Dhoni so that questions do not arise regarding the proper use of prospects.

“Better position to be in: ‘We have tried everything else, but we still feel that Yuvi and Dhoni are fit, they are playing very well, and they are the guys to see us through.’ And no one will complain about that,” he said.

On the spin combination:

The 44-year-old also suggested thinking about the fusion of spinners to be used with top spinners like Jadeja and Ashwin failing to impress on flat surfaces. He backed the selection of Kuldeep Yadav and thinks it to be a good move.

“We are playing on really flat wickets. It is tough on them, and … it is not happening. If you want wickets in the middle, wrist-spinners and mystery spinners are the ones who look like taking wickets on some of these flat wickets with the fielding restrictions.

“It is nice to have Kuldeep Yadav coming in. He needs to be given a lot more game time. He has got ability, he has got a bit of mystery about him,” he added.