The national selection committee chose the fourth string 14-member Board President’s XI squad against Australia in a warm up game ahead of the ODI series. It came as a surprise from the selection committee as India’s 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh did not even make it into the top 74 players in the nation. India’s 15-member squad for the ODI series against Australia is expected to be similar to the one which played in Sri Lanka with a few exceptions.
Yuvraj failed to pass the Yo-Yo test which made him ineligible to get selected for India’s tour of Sri Lanka. Yuvraj struggled in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, except for his quick fire innings against Pakistan in the group stages. Additionally, India’s Caribbean tour did not turn out to be a fruitful series as well for him.
“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,” a BCCI official, privy to selection matters, told PTI.
The selectors chose 45 players for the day/night pink ball cricket matches as well. While Yuvraj did not make it to the list of 74 players, there was some good news for Suresh Raina. Raina, who too had failed to pass the Yo-Yo test is raring to make a comeback into the Indian squad, as he was included in the list.
A BCCI official on conditions of anonymity told PTI:
“The Duleep Trophy certainly sent the selectors’ plans haywire. With Duleep on, this was the best set of domestic players available. People like Rahul and Washington have done well in the IPL while a few like Govinda and Shivam did decently in Vijay Hazare Trophy for their state sides.”
Board President’s XI squad:
Rahul Tripathi, Mayank Agarwal, Shivam Chaudhary, Nitish Rana, Govinda Poddar, Gurkeerat Mann, Shreevats Goswami, Akshay Karnewar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Kushang Patel, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Washington Sundar, Rahil Shah.
Coach: Hemang Badani.
