World Cup 2015: The Indian trump cards

With only a handful of One Day International (ODI) games left before the World Cup 2015, it is high time that Team India finalizes on its top 15 players who will be making that flight to Australia. Though India has a huge list of potential players, we can easily guess the 11 that will take the field in the first group stage match of the marquee event. Probable playing 11: Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami,With just 4 remaining spots and a huge amount of talent available, it is going to be tough times for the selectors in picking up these players. Though, theoretically, these players are referred to as the substitutes, I would like to call them as the trump cards for India’s success, as in case anything untoward happens to these first choice players either before or during the tournament, these are the ones who are likely to step in.Here are the players who can possibly fill those four spots:

#1 Kuldeep Yadav

This 19-year-old chinaman bowler has caught the eye of the entire cricketing world with his recent Indian Premier League (IPL) and Under-19 World Cup performances. With his unique and genuine ability to spin the ball both ways, he can bamboozle batsmen and fetch you wickets.

He is young and fearless to toss the ball and has not been studied and exposed to the world cricket. With the likes of Sunil Narine and Saeed Ajmal more likely to not make it to the World Cup, Team India can use him as their mystery man, and, with Dhoni known to be good in handling youngsters, he can turn out to be a great asset.

#2 Robin Uthappa/ Sanju Samson

Both these batsmen have proved their mettle under various conditions and are multifaceted. Samson has been consistent with the bat both in the IPL and the India A tour of Australia while Uthappa was the top scorer in the IPL, Champions League (CLT20) and is also having a wonderful Duleep Trophy.

While questions are being raised over the other opening slot, I don’t see how Dhawan can take his slot for granted, especially after his recent showings in overseas conditions. So, the ODI series against Australia ahead of the World Cup could very well expose his frailties and lead to the think-tank replacing him Uthappa.

#3 Umesh Yadav/Varun Aaron

Australian wickets are not meant for swing, rather they support pace. So, bowlers who can fire in at 140 Kmph with the new ball will add a lot of value to the team. Add to it, both these speedsters are reasonably good at the death, in comparison with what Dhoni has in his armoury.

#4 Ishant Sharma/Zaheer Khan

These names might surprise you, but I have included them only for one reason and that is experience.

Having bowled in different conditions and served the country for so many years, it will be a great to see Zaheer step up and deliver 10 overs. We all know what Javagal Srinath did in the 2003 World Cup. So, it’s about how strong the left-armer is mentally. The board and the captain can have a word with him, assess him and take a chance.

Ishant Sharma’s inclusion has got to do more with his track record in Australia: 9 matches, 14 wickets, average of 20.42 and economy of 4.60. The 26-year-old becomes a different bowler altogether on supportive conditions, and the Indian management will do well to not overlook him based on his performances on dead subcontinental tracks.

#5 Yuvraj Singh

We all are so dependent on Kohli that we clearly know if at all India has to win the Cup, it is the 25-year-old who needs to score continuously.

But let’s not forget our World Cup Specialist: Yuvraj Singh. Yes, he is not in the best of his form; he has not been performing well in the domestic arena, but remember that he is a fighter. His ability to slog pacers is probably on par on with anyone else in the team. And you need players who can clear the ropes, especially when you play in the bigger grounds of Australia. With Rayudu not making use of his chances as well as he should have, Yuvraj isn’t a bad option. And he did show signs of getting better towards the latter end of the 2014 IPL.

I think more than his form, it’s the trust that the selectors and the captain should have on a player like Yuvraj.