Injured all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was included in the 15-member Indian squad for the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup starting Feb 14 but star batsman Yuvraj Singh’s hopes of getting a late call-up were dashed as the BCCI announced the team for the mega-event here.
Jadeja is nursing a shoulder injury sustained during training in the early stages of India’s ongoing tour of Australia.
“The All-India Senior Selection Committee met in Mumbai today (Tuesday) and selected the Indian team for the Tri-series between India, Australia and England to be played in Australia from the 18th of January,” Sanjay Patel, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said.
“The Indian team for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to be played in Australia/New Zealand from February 2015 was simultaneously selected.”
Jadeja picked up the injury while training and wasn’t considered for selection for the first two Tests of the ongoing four-match series and returned to India to undergo treatment.
Axar Patel was flown in to Australia as a substitute for Jadeja. Patel, the likely candidate to replace Jadeja in case of his unavailability, was also included in the squad.
Jadeja was also named in the ODI squad for the tri-series involving India and England to be played in Australia after the Test series.
“Jadeja, at present, is undergoing a rehabilitation program. He is doing wonderfully well. Today, we had a detailed discussion with the physio of the BCCI and we are quite hopeful that, within next ten days, he will be fit,” said Sanjay Patel.
Recent Test retiree Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named the captain of the side while Virat Kohli was declared his deputy.
Sanjay Patel also said that pacer Ishant Sharma, left out of the team for the fourth Test at Sydney Tuesday due to an injury, would be fit for the tri-series and the subsequent World Cup.
“Ishant has a temporary injury with which he is doing well. But he has been advised by our physio not to play the current Test. He will be fit for the tri-series,” he said.
India are the defending champions having won the trophy under the leadership of Dhoni at home in the 2011 edition of the quadrennial event.
But 2011 Cup’s man-of-the-tournament Yuvraj Singh’s outside chance of getting a call-up failed to materialise.
He was earlier kept out of the list of 30 probables alongside four other former heavyweights — Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag.
“Not only Yuvraj Singh, a lot of other players were also discussed apart from the 30, and after a lot of deliberation the team was finalised, in the presence of all the five selectors as well as captain MS Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher, who were there on conference call,” said Patel.
Sevral Yuvraj fans expressed their disappointment on Twitter at his exclusion.
The selection committee also didn’t include batters Robin Uthappa and Murali Vijay and stuck by middle-order willower Ambati Rayudu, who can also double up as back-up wicketkeeper.
India play their first match against Pakistan Feb 15.
The Indian squad for the World Cup:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virat Kohli (vice-captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.
The Indian squad for the tri-Series:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virat Kohli (vice-captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni.