Since India’s first ever defeat to Pakistan in a ICC tournament final, Virat Kohli has turned to the new crop of cricketers. Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh are among many who have been completely axed from the Indian team.
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Yuvraj Singh played his last match for India in June last year.
His recent form in domestic season is below average and he definitely has lost his touch of ‘glory days’ when he was Man of the tournament on both ICC T20 World Cup 07’ and ICC World Cup 11’ wins for India.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy he scored 208 runs in the 9 matches that he played, but his strike rate was just 96.29 which is well below par for a T20 tournament. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he collected just 172 runs.
After Suresh Raina’s smashing comeback for India in T20I’s against SA and India being blessed with two prodigious left arm spinning all-rounders with excellent fielding attributes, Jadeja and Axar, it looks like the end of rope, of Yuvraj Singh’s international career.
Harbhajan Singh has a similar sort of story. Ashwin forced his way in place of him in Indian team and he has never looked back. Harbhajan played his last international match for India in March 16’. He wasn’t even picked for ICC Champions Trophy last year.
And now with the wrist spinners ruling the roosts in the limited overs format, finger spinners will find it tough to make it to the Indian side, and even if they do, Harbhajan is way down the pecking order, as Ashwin would be the first finger to be picked, if at all.
India is booming with athletic and electrifying youngsters in all departments and BCCI are expected to announce their annual Central Contracts soon. They are also in process of implementing new system for contracts in which performances will be the most important factor for contract renewal or otherwise.
It will be very intriguing to see whether these ‘ Old horses ’ are given royalty contracts or its end of road for both of them.
