World Cup 2019: 3 Players who can replicate Yuvraj Singh's 2011 WC heroics for India

The 2019 World Cup will commence on 30th May with the hosts England taking on South Africa. The tournament is expected to be closely contested one as teams are well balanced.

India will be one of the strong contenders to lift the trophy. India have won the tournament twice – in 1983 and 2011. While the 1983 win was unexpected as India were underdogs in that tournament, in 2011 India were strong contenders. In 2011 almost every player contributed, but none did it more than the Man of the Tournament, Yuvraj Singh.

Yuvraj Singh scored 362 runs in 2011 edition and bagged 15 wickets to help India to achieve the glory. Throughout the tournament, he made vital contributions with bat including a hundred against West Indies and prised out wickets at key times. In this article we will throw light on three players who can replicate Yuvraj Singh’s 2011 World Cup role in upcoming edition scheduled to be hosted by England and Wales.

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#3 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is one of the cleanest strikers in the current Indian team. The right-hander has the ability to tonk the ball and plays impactful innings. Like Yuvraj, in past, often he has lent finishing touches and on various occasions, he has also assisted in reconstructing the innings after a collapse.

Pandya has had assaulted leg-spinners in the same manner as Yuvraj did in his prime. Many a time, he has hit hat trick of sixes – most notably against Pakistan in 2017 Champions Trophy group league match and in the Final. In 45 ODI matches, Pandya has an imposing strike-rate of 116.59 and has clobbered 36 sixes.

Also, he is India’s fifth bowler and bowls mostly in middle-overs and picks up crucial wickets. His all-round display will go a long way in determining India’s campaign and if he could replicate Yuvraj’s 2011 performances, India are surely going to be a team to beat.

#2 Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja

When Ravindra Jadeja burst on to the scene, many saw him as a successor to Yuvraj Singh. He was picked by Rajasthan Royals ithe n first season of IPL where he left a strong impression upon every one. But as it turned out, Jadeja at international level has grown more as a bowler; though he has made contributions witthe h bat – they have come rather sporadically.

His most significant all-round display came in 2013 Champions Trophy where he was the highest wicket-taker (winner of the Golden Ball) and made substantial contributions with the bat – especially in final, when he with Virat Kohli resurrected India’s innings to help post a challenging total (which India subsequently defended).

2019 World Cup will provide Ravindra Jadeja an opportunity to show his all-round prowess. If wickets in England spin, which could be the case in the latter half of the tournament, then Jadeja’s accurate left-arm spin will be vital and if he makes contributions with the bat, it could allow team India to play three frontline seamers with Jadeja batting at number 7.

#1 Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav

Perhaps, Kedar Jadhav is closest to replicating Yuvraj Singh’s 2011 world cup role. Like Yuvraj, he is an explosive batman having the ability to clear the rope and possessing a calm persona which is necessary for crunch games.

Akin to what Yuvraj did in 2011 WC, these days Kedar Jadhav is India’s golden arm with the ball – a partnership breaker. Time and again he has provided India breakthroughs in middle-overs. Take for instance 2017 CT semi-final against Bangladesh, where he picked up 2/22 to derail Bangladesh before which they were sailing smoothly.

With the bat, Jadhav recently, scored a counter attacking 81* against Australia after India were reduced to 99/4 to help chase down 237 runs. Like Yuvraj revived Indian innings in the quarter-final against Australia; Jadhav has shown that he too holds the potential to replicate that. If Jadhav like Singh remains tenacious in face of adversity then India will stand a good chance to again lift the trophy.