Yuvraj Singh fails to make the cut of top 74 cricketers in the country

Earlier today, the national selection committee picked the fourth tier of 14-member squad for the Board President’s XI for the warm-up game against Australia. The selection however made it crystal clear that Yuvraj Singh is not a part of even the top 74 cricketers in the country. The 15-member Indian team which decimated Sri Lanka recently is set to be retained for the upcoming Australia series with a few minor changes.

Owing to the Duleep Trophy, the selection committee had to name another 45 players for the day/night pink ball experiment. That made it top 60 players in the country, which left the selectors with no option but to pick some rookie IPL as well as Vijay Hazare Trophy performers. Suresh Raina was amongst the veterans to find a place in that 45

The MSK Prasad-led committee selected a 14-member team that comprises some of the IPL performers like Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana and MS Washington Sundar along with completely unknown entities like Delhi’s left-arm quick Kulwant Khejroliya. Yuvraj did not even find a place in this batch of 14 putting him outside the top 74 players in the country.

Speaking about Yuvraj’s present scenario, a BCCI official privy to selection matters, told PTI, “Yuvraj’s fitness standards have fallen drastically and coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli has time and again indicated that a certain fitness standard is a must to make the cut in the national team. The selectors want to look ahead and so does the team management.”

Selection committee names a few exciting prospects

Bengal’s Shreevats Goswami was picked as the top three scorers for Bengal alongside Manoj Tiwary, Sudeep Chatterjee and Abhimanyu Easwaran who are all playing in the Duleep Trophy. Despite having a mixed campaign last season, IPL specialist Mayank Agarwal was picked owing to limited options.

Odisha’s Govinda Poddar and UP’s Shivam Chaudhary were also picked based on their performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, although either batsman failed to score 500 runs in the first-class season.

Delhi lad Kulwant Khejroliya who was a part of the Mumbai Indians squad last year has also made it to the list. The young and exciting prospect has the ability to hit mid-140s and will be a crucial addition since the Indian team management is looking for some left-arm fast bowling options.