There will be some controversy in the selection of the national team for all forms of the game. The naming of the 15-member squad on Monday has raised eyebrows at the exclusion of the swashbuckling all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. It is claimed that at least in the shorter form of the game, Singh selected himself. His fitness being in doubt, his omission ought not to be a big issue. Though one or two names are controversial, for instance, the inclusion of Stuart Binny, no selection can be universally commended. On the whole, it is a balanced side, with the accent on fresh blood, with Gujarat’s 20-year-old Axar Patel finding a place on the strength of his mesmerising left arm bowling action. Dhoni, at 33, is probably leading the side in his last World Cup. On paper, the team has fine balance of accomplished batsmen, bowlers, fielders, etc., but given that the ODI competition is to be played in New Zealand and Australia, where the pitches are not generally supportive of our slow-paced attack, one would keep one’s fingers crossed at the outcome. Even the draw of the tournament couldn’t have been tougher for India. But in sport, these things happen and we must learn to take them in our stride.
