New Delhi,may 22
Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh has backed a struggling all-rounder Hardik Pandya to do “something really special” for Team India in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup starting from June 1 in West Indies and USA, pointing out that his fitness and bowling would be crucial for Men in Blue in the tournament.ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador Yuvraj Singh spoke about the Indian team at the upcoming tournament.
India has already named a strong 15-member contingent and four travelling reserves to be led by Rohit Sharma for T20I cricket’s showpiece event. India will embark on their quest for T20 World Cup glory next month, a trophy they have not won since their victory in the inaugural edition in 2007. One of the members of that winning team was Yuvraj and the stylish left-hander is desperate to see India lift the trophy again.
Although Pandya has shown signs of regaining his bowling form in the IPL, his batting performances have been below par, having scored only 216 runs in 14 matches. The slump follows his return from a prolonged injury layoff dating back to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.However, Yuvraj stands firmly behind Pandya, expressing confidence that the all-rounder will deliver something extraordinary at the tournament.”Well, the good thing is that the selection has been made. (Selectors see) how players have performed in international cricket and then they look at IPL form. Just not the IPL form,” Yuvraj noted as quoted by ICC.”Because if you look at the IPL form, Hardik has not done well. Looking at his background for India, what he’s done for India, it is important that he is in the squad. I think his bowling is going to be important, and his fitness is going to be important. And I think he might do something really special in this World Cup,” he added.Yuvraj also picked up other members of the team that he would like to see, starting with the top order which didn’t have too many surprises. He opines that India should go with the opening combination of skipper Rohit Sharma and young Yashasvi Jaiswal, with star batter Virat Kohli batting at number three.”I think Rohit (Sharma) and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal should definitely open. Virat (Kohli) has been batting at No.3 and that’s his position. And then you get Suryakumar (Yadav) at four, and then you got a couple of big options,” he said.”I would like to see a couple of left-hand, right-hand combinations because it is harder to bowl at two combinations all the time,” he added.Sticking to his preference for a left-right batting combination throughout the line-up, Yuvraj has leaned towards Rishabh Pant over Sanju Samson for the vital wicket-keeper’s role.Both the wicket-keeper batters have been in sensational form in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League.Sanju Samson has not only shouldered the responsibility of captaincy but has also played a pivotal role in the batting order for the Rajasthan Royals this year.
