5 players who Indian fans would love to see making a comeback

The Indian cricket team is one of the most followed sporting teams anywhere in the world. The players are subject to tremendous fanfare and adulation, and they become cult heroes and household names. Thus, when these players drop out of the radar due to indifferent form, there is tremendous amount of interest whenever any squad is announced.

Hence, when Gautam Gambhir was included into the Test squad in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand fans welcomed the move and were very keen to follow the performance of the 34-year old veteran. Gambhir did not disappoint either and scored an impressive 50 in the second innings which helped India amass a huge target for New Zealand in relatively quick time.

There is a definite emotional connect with these players as they have been legends and match-winners when they were in their pomp, and thus Indian fans would love to see these players make a comeback. Here in this list, we take a look at 5 such players whose comebacks would gladden the hearts of cricket fans.

#5 Yusuf Pathan

The elder Pathan was the toast of the town after the first two seasons of the Indian Premier League and there was massive expectation from him, because of his hitting abilities. With his raw power and belligerent big hits, Yusuf was cut out for the shorter versions. He did get his chance and played few memorable innings for India, but then his inconsistency was his biggest enemy, and he had to be eventually dropped.

However, Yusuf has shown glimpses of returning to form with Kolkata Knight Riders and has carried out the role of a finisher with tremendous impact. There was never any doubt over his talent, but there were always concerns about his ability to withstand pressure. But then, his role with KKR has given ample indications that the man has grown and he deserves another go in the Indian team, especially in the Twenty20 squad.

#4 Robin Uthappa

The chubby opening batsman from Karnataka started his International career with a bang with a match-winning 86 against England way back in 2006. Uthappa was always blessed with pristine timing and proper cricketing strokes, and thus it was no surprise when he was very much one of the stars during the 2007 World T20 campaign.

However, things were not as cosy for Uthappa henceforth, as he struggled big time to churn out runs, and thus was benched. He struggled to find his groove even in Domestic cricket and was nowhere close to his best for almost 2 years.

His prospects improved when he had a bumper season in 2013-14 and followed it up with a dominant display in the 2014 Indian Premier League. He was then included in a second string Indian side to Bangladesh, where he scored a half-century, but then was dropped once again.

He has become a consistent performer for Karnataka and KKR and thus his comeback should not be ruled out!

#3 Harbhajan Singh

The feisty off-spinner is one of the all-time Indian greats, and his record across formats is a testament to his prowess. With 417 Test wickets, there is very less to prove for Harbhajan, but the man and the fans would love to see him making a comeback even if it is for one last time.

The fact that he has been sensational for Mumbai Indians in the IPL should be considered and he should be included in the T20 squad ahead of R Ashwin who could be rested from this format, just to manage his workload.

Currently, he is in the news for all the wrong reasons, but firebrand Punjabi has done enough for the Indian team to warrant another look in.

#2 Irfan Pathan

The younger Pathan was an instant sensation when he made an appearance onto the International scene. With his swing, seam and boyish looks, Irfan captured the imagination of one and all in around the cricketing circuit.

With the ball, he generated what many would call banana swing as the ball swirled in very late and he bamboozled the batsmen with all his skills. He was more than effective with the bat, and hence comparisons with the great Kapil Dev were inevitable.

However, frequent injuries and vague roles meant the Irfan was sidelined from the National team, and such was his form, that he was merely making up the numbers in various IPL teams.

Much like his brother, Irfan has slowly made big strides and now when the Indian team is looking for an all-rounder in the limited overs format, he can once again be back in the mix.

#1 Yuvraj Singh

Few players connect with the fans like Yuvraj Singh does. He is an enigma, a match-winner, a fighter and someone who refuses to give up. He was the architect behind the 2007 and 2011 World Cup winning campaigns, he is the one who fought cancer and came back, and he is the one who enthrals everyone with his immense talent.

He has been given chances in the Indian team sporadically but has not quite done justice to the talent. However, his recent form in the Ranji Trophy and his record at the International level means that the man is still hungry for one more go.

There will be few fans who would complain if this indeed transpires!