3 Indian pacers who should be in World Cup 2015 plans

Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav

After 28 One-day internationals, Umesh Yadav has managed to get only 30 wickets. At one stage, he was the most reliable bowler for India, but he soon lost his accuracy. He also started leaking runs at the death, and thereafter, India have not found a proper go-to bowler in the slog overs.

He was once again given a chance in the second One-day match at Durban but gave away 57 runs in nine overs. Umesh Yadav’s place in the 2015 World Cup squad is now under the scanner.

He also doesn’t have a good record in Australia in the last three years. Having played three One-day matches in Australia, he has managed to get only four wickets. Though his economy rate is under six, Yadav’s inability to get wickets is a spot of bother for Team India.

However, considering the nature of wickets in Australia, Yadav should be in the World Cup plans. Before the World Cup, he should be given a chance in England and Australia, and the selectors will have to observe his performances. If he fails to get wickets, India will have to look for other options.

Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan

After a demoralizing tour of New Zealand, one would have felt that the experience is lacking in the bowling unit. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s inability to swing the ball both ways, and a lack of a proper third seamer continues to bother MS Dhoni. Also, he doesn’t have a bowler who can vary the pace to instill doubts in the minds of the batsmen.

That’s where a bowler like Irfan could prove to be handy. Irfan Pathan’s career, however, has been hit by reoccurring injuries. The Baroda pacer has recovered now and is desperate to get back into the team. He brings the stability to the squad and also provides Dhoni with the extra batting option.

Irfan Pathan brings in a lot of variations in his bowling. His off-cutters and leg-cutters would certainly control the run-flow. Since he builds the pressure, the batsmen, more often than not, will look to attack the other bowler. If Dhoni has a quality bowler operating from the other end, the batting team could be under trouble.

Apart from his variations, Pathan is a generally a good exponent of the new ball. When Pathan swings the new ball, he’s quite accurate. He has troubled the right-handed batsmen and has trapped them in front with the new ball even after his comeback in 2011. So, Irfan Pathan must be in the plans for the World Cup 2015.

Irfan has done reasonably well in Australia. Having played 11 matches, he has 16 wickets to his name, with a best of 4/41. He has done a pretty good job, but his economy rate is more than 6.00 runs per over, which can be a worrying factor for India.

Bhuveshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami don’t find a place in the list because they have cemented their place in the squad. But, Ishant Sharma’s place is under scrutiny following a poor performance in New Zealand. Having played 72 ODIs so far, it’s really disappointing to see him still having problems with accuracy.