Kolkata: Yes, the Virat Kohli era has begun. And the first indication is the inclusion of comeback man Yuvraj Singh in the limited overs sides set to face England. If we look at the ODI and T20 teams announced, Yuvraj’s name takes many by surprise. Not many would have thought he was in the contention probably guessing Kohli would go for a younger cricketer. But Yuvi’s selection is a proof that the Dhoni age is now a thing of the past.
If you talk to sports journalists who are abreast of the latest in Indian cricket, they would say that Virat is a skipper who gives a damn to personal equations. It’s all about the acumen a cricketer has and Virat would back him. Like he is all for Wriddhiman Saha. Virat has always been a fan of Yuvraj and has respected him. Unlike his predecessor, he wouldn’t get swayed by the personal equation he shares with a cricketer and it’s all about the utility factor.
It would be wrong to say that Dhoni didn’t back Yuvraj. Yet, the Punjab guy isn’t known to hold the former Indian captain in the highest esteem and Yuvraj’s father, Yograj has openly castigated Dhoni for trying to sabotage his son’s career. But, if we look at statistics, Yuvraj makes a comeback into the ODI team after a gap of more than three years and during this period it was Dhoni who was at the helm. Yuvraj last appeared in an ODI on December 11, 2013 against South Africa at Centurion. His last T20 appearance was on March 27, 2016 against the Aussies at Mohali. Riding on a series of impressive scores at the domestic level, Yuvi is back in the reckonings.
When we talk of comebacks in Indian cricket, the first name that strikes us is that of Mohinder Amarnath who created history in terms of fighting his way back into the team. Sourav Ganguly too has faced the selectors’ wrath, yet has earned his place back in the team. We are also reminded of Arun Lal and Zaheer Khan (who has been in and out of the team mostly due to injuries though). But one name that has to make it to the all-time list of memorable returns has to be that of the recently married Yuvraj.
Now, the question is: What prompted Virat to opt for Yuvraj? The answer is simple: Here is a guy who has experience by his side. Here is a cricketer who has battled cancer to wield the willow once again. Yuvi as he is fondly called still remains a formidable force in Indian cricket. He can bat and bowl and as a fielder he is unparalleled. Virat can use him as a bowler as well, and Yuvraj’s all-round ability gives the captain an option to play an extra batsman.
Now, looking at the larger picture, if Yuvraj proves his detractors wrong against England, there may be a possibility that he is taken into consideration in the five-day format as well. Yuvraj hasn’t justified his potential in Test matches: An average of 33.92 in 40 Tests isn’t impressive enough vis-à-vis his batting average of 36.37 in 293 ODIs. Yes, Yuvraj has struggled in Test matches, yet there is something called experience and Yuvraj jolly well fits into it.
On a parting note, Virat has stamped his authority on Indian cricket letting the Dhoni era take the exit route. And Yuvraj’s selection is one example of how the Delhi guy looks at the future.
Here’s a look at the Indian teams against Engalnd:
ODI Team: KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (Captain), MS Dhoni, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav.
T20I Team: KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Virat Kohli (Captain), MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Manish Pandey, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashish Nehra.