World Cup 2019: India missed a solid No. 4, says Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh expressed his disappointment over the omission of Ambati Rayudu from World Cup squad and asked the management to show faith in one player for No. 4 position.
In Short
- India were knocked out of the World Cup 2019 after a rare top-order failure against New Zealand
- Yuvraj Singh asked the Team Management to groom one player for No. 4 spot
- Yuvraj also expressed his disappointment over the handling of Ambati Rayudu
Former India player Yuvraj Singh questioned the way Indian Team management has been handling the No. 4 spot in the recent past.
After India's exit in World Cup 2019, questions have been raised over the vulnerability of Indian middle order and the conundrum over the number 4 position persists. They have tried different players at the spot, but no one has been able to nail down his name for the spot.
India finished the group stages of the tournament at the top of the points table but failed to chase a 240-run target in the 1st semi-final against New Zealand in Manchester on Wednesday.
"The team management should have groomed someone. If someone was failing at No. 4, the team management should have told that player that he was going to play the World Cup. Like in the 2003 World Cup, we were playing New Zealand before the tournament, everybody was failing. But the same team played in the World Cup," Yuvraj told TOI.
"It was disappointing to watch what they did with Rayudu. He was in the contention for the World Cup. He got runs in New Zealand but after three or four bad innings, he got dropped," Yuvraj added. "And then Rishabh (Pant) came in and he got dropped. If No. 4 is a crucial position in ODI cricket, if you want someone to do well in that position, you will have to back him. You can't drop someone if he is unable to do well all the time," he told.
Yuvraj Singh was India's main man at No. 4 position and had helped Indian team become World Champions twice, with his exploits with the bat.
Test opener K.L. Rahul was made the number four by the Indian team management going into the World Cup even though the selectors led by MSK Prasad said that all-rounder Vijay Shankar was picked for that spot for the showpiece event.
After Shikhar Dhawan's injury, the team management decided to bring Rahul as the opener. And when Shankar was ruled out, they flew in opener Mayank Agarwal to fit into the middle-order.