4 Veterans who have sealed their spot ahead of Cricket World Cup 2019

The upcoming 50-over Cricket World Cup in England would be the best platform for cricketers to prove their mettle. A good performance in the tournament can do wonders to the career of any player - especially of the youngsters.

But a special group of players who are expected to perform in this World Cup is the senior bunch. If you have a close look at the recent editions of the World Cups, senior players with over ten years of international experience at the time of the tournament, have had a huge role in their team winning the World Cup.

Whether it was Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson in 2015; Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan in 2011; or Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Brad Hogg in 2007; the teams with experience under their belt have flourished.

However, some of the most highly rated players of this decade from various teams had started to fade around a couple of years ago. While some of them retired or got lost in the oblivion, some of them got back in form at just the right time - thanks to some support from their selectors as well.

What is most noteworthy is how these stalwarts came back to the mainstream on merit to prove their importance to the side. While some of them suffered a big dip in form, many of them almost fell prey to career-threatening injuries.

Let us have a look at some senior pros who looked out of sorts till around a year ago, but are now at the helm of things for cricket's biggest tournament. Let us also get to know about their dip in form and how they reversed their fortunes in this period.

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#1 Lasith Malinga

New Zealand v Sri Lanka - ODI Game 2

When Lasith Malinga reached his 300th ODI wicket in August 2017, it seemed as if it would be the last milestone in an illustrious career. Historically, one of Sri Lanka's best one day bowlers, Malinga was also the captain of the Sri Lankan team that won the ICC World T20 in 2016.

Average outings in the 2017 Champions Trophy and the home series against India and Zimbabwe did not offer any help to Malinga, who was then making his ODI comeback after almost two years. He was dropped for the following ODI series against Pakistan in UAE. For over a year, a young and struggling Sri Lankan side tried many bowling combinations - but none failed to make a permanent mark.

Malinga was finally recalled for the all-important Asia Cup in September 2018. The senior pro impressed in his very first match, finishing with figures of 4 for 23 from 10 overs against tournament runners up Bangladesh. Although Sri Lanka lost the match, Malinga was particularly impressive in a relatively high scoring match from the tournament perspective.

In the following home series against number-one ranked ODI team England, Malinga registered his eighth five-wicket haul in ODI's in the second match of the series. He also finished as one of the leading wicket-takers during the subsequent ODI series in New Zealand. Though the series was disappointing from his team's point of view, he also managed to get a few runs with the bat down the order.

#2 Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn's comeback at this stage of his career has been nothing short of sensational.

One of the best fast bowlers of this decade, Dale Steyn would have certainly ended as the highest wicket taking seamer in all international cricket with a longer career. However, injuries and fatigue ensured Steyn missed many outings for his country in the last four years.

His biggest career setback came because of an injury that made him miss all international cricket throughout 2017. After breaking his shoulder bone during the Test series in Australia in 2016-17, Steyn came back to international cricket after a year in November 2017. However, his comeback was shortlived as he played only one Test against India at Cape Town in January 2018.

Post coming back to the Test side six months later, Steyn's ODI comeback played almost two years after his last ODI outing in 2016. In his very first ODI series against Zimbabwe, Steyn picked up five wickets from just two matches at an average of just 9.6.

Steyn reaffirmed his importance in South Africa's ODI side during his team's series victory in Australia. He picked up seven wickets in just three matches in the series, coming at an average of 13.42. Steyn has simultaneously performed well on the Test circuit, finishing with 12 wickets in South Africa's recently concluded home series against Pakistan.

#3 Shaun Marsh

Shaun Marsh has scored four centuries in ten innings since his comeback to Australia's one-day side.

One who was always appreciated for his talent and elegance, Shaun Marsh finally got an extended run in the limited overs format after two of his country's most important cricketers - Steve Smith and David Warner were banned for a year.

Making his ODI debut in 2008 after a surreal performance during the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League, Marsh made 81 on debut and hardly did little wrong to miss out on the opportunity of playing in two back to back fifty over World Cups.

Marsh's real big outing actually came during the Ashes series played down under during 2017-18. Playing in the middle order, the stylish left-hander amassed 445 runs including two big centuries.

Smith and Warner's ban following the sandpaper controversy during their South Africa tour led to a crisis in Australia's World Cup preparations. Marsh was recalled to the ODI side after more than a year for their one day tour to England. In a disappointing 0-5 loss, Marsh scored two centuries.

He scored another ODI century in his team's home series against South Africa at the end of the year. In Australia's recently concluded ODI series against India, Marsh scored yet another century in the second match. With over 600 runs in ten innings since his return, Marsh should now be a certainty for Australia's World Cup squad.

#4 MS Dhoni

With 193 runs from 3 innings, Dhoni walked away with the man of the series during the ODI's in Australia.

MS Dhoni's downslide really started one year after he gave up his limited-overs captaincy. Already retired from the Test format, Dhoni was the captain of India's ODI and T20 teams till December 2016. Just before the start of India's first international series in 2017 against England, Dhoni announced that he won't captain the team anymore. Virat Kohli became India's captain in all formats since then.

Dhoni did a decent job that year, registering his tenth ODI century, his first T20 international fifty and providing great assistance to the emerging spin bowling pair of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. However, 2018 was not a great year for Dhoni. Barring a second T20 fifty in February, Dhoni could not reach a fifty in any other ODI or T20 in 2018.

Scoring just 275 runs in 13 innings, Dhoni averaged just 25 runs in 2018 with questions being raised over his inclusion in India's World Cup plans. He was also omitted from the T20 squads against West Indies and Australia at the end of the year, which made many of his fans and supporters anxious.

However, inclusion in India's limited overs matches in Australia and New Zealand in 2019 brought some relief to Dhoni and his fans. Chasing a huge target of 289 in the first ODI of the year, Dhoni scored his first half-century in more than a year. He followed it up with a brilliant match-finishing fifty in the next and a match-winning 87 not out in the series decider while batting at number four.

Dhoni has now sealed his position as India's primary wicket-keeper batsman and has also proved his flexibility in India's batting order ahead of the World Cup.