Yuvraj is the best option for India’s No.6 Test spot

This blog was published on Sportskeeda
http://www.sportskeeda.com/2012/10/28/yuvraj-is-the-best-option-for-the-no-6-spot/#axzz2AWrLePJC

The number six slot in the Indian batting line-up could set maximum tongues wagging when the newly-constituted Sandeep Patil-headed national selectors sit down to pick the squad for the upcoming home series against England, beginning November 15.

It’s been a frustrating watch to see selectors constantly trying out various players for the 6 spot. Sourav Ganguly had made this batting position very much his own, but since his retirement in 2008, not one player has shown the resolve to make this batting spot his own.

Come the England series, the focus will be on who would pad up for the said batting position. For long we thought Yuvraj Singh could be the man who would fill in the big shoes of Dada. The southpaw is blessed with a wide repertoire of strokes, and has the ability to pick the length of the ball early and score off even good deliveries. Critics would say Yuvraj hasn’t convinced all that he is at home against the short ball – a shortfall most Indian batsmen have - save for Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

We have seen a lot of great players, who were iffy against the short ball in the early part of their careers but went to overcome this shortfall with sheer tenacity – Steve Waugh is one name that comes to mind.

At the age of 30, Yuvraj can surely his tighten this aspect of his batting. And if he does, he could well pan out to be a huge asset for India in Test cricket. His agile fielding and handy left-arm spin can also lend more value to the side.

The manner in which Yuvraj battled a rare germ cell cancer and took part in the World T20 Championship in Sri Lanka speaks volumes of his grit and pride he wears in his sleeves (to play for the country).

His magnificent double century (208) in the Duleep Trophy for North Zone against Central Zone indicated that Yuvi is close to peak form.

The fact that the selectors have picked him in the India ‘A’ 14-member team for England’s practice game in Mumbai throws enough hints that Yuvraj is very much on the selectors’ radar as far as his Test career is concerned.

Yuvi is in a India ‘A’ team led by Suresh Raina – another southpaw with whom he would be directly competing for the number 6 spot.

A close look at Yuvraj’s career graph in the last one year or would show that injury and not form alone that has derailed Yuvraj’s Test cricket.After playing a pivotal part in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, Yuvraj gave the West Indies Test series a miss because of a chest infection. 

His absence allowed someone like Suresh Raina to stake his claim. Raina used the three Test rubber (which India won 1-0) to enhance his batting credentials on the Test stage, scoring 232 runs at an average of 46.40, studded with three fifties with a highest score of 82.

Raina by dint of his strong showing in the West Indies series, featured in all four Tests during the 2011 England tour. The leftie started the series on a bright note, notching up a fine 78 in the opening Test at Lord’s before his form dipped rapidly, managing just 27 runs in his next 7 innings, including a golden duck in the Oval Test. 105 runs of 8 innings at an average of 13.12 undid all the good work he did in West Indies and effectively wrote Raina’s temporary obituary from Test cricket.

Yuvraj featured in the lone Trent Bridge Test and scored an impressive 62 before Tim Bresnan unsettled him with the short stuff – Yuvraj injured his left index finger while countering a bouncer of the strapping England seamer and was ruled out of the remainder of the series. Yuvi did mark a comeback to the Test side for the 2011 West Indies series. The Punjab lad managed just 66 runs of 3 innings at average of 22.00 and was dropped for the 3^rd Test – the listless showing was a big factor in Yuvraj missing the Australia tour bus.

Coming back to the present, given the current rich vein of form Yuvraj is in, the selectors should try him at no. 6 as I have always felt that a fit and on-song Yuvraj can do the desired job at number 6.

As for Raina, he didn’t exactly let the bat talk during the two home series against New Zealand. One is not sure whether a half-century in the Bengaluru Test, accompanied by two failures would be enough to convince the selectors that he deserves a long rope. Only time will tell.

With due respect to Suresh Raina, I have always admired the way he throws his bat around in the ODI and T20 formats, but have no hesitation in saying that I don’t see him as a long-term investment for India even though he is five years younger to Yuvi.

Hopefully, we would see Yuvraj settle the number 6 batting spot worries by stamping his authority in d England Test series. Indian cricket would richly benefit from it!