Dhoni to Lead India in World T20 at Home

The left-handed batsman was offered a place in the squad owing to his blistering form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare trophy where he is the third-highest scorer with 341 runs at an average of 85.25.

The national cricket selectors seem to have deliberated a lot before selecting the T20 and ODI teams for the tour of Australia. Those not selected were all discussed. “We have extended the talent pool”, selection committee chairman Sandip Patil told reporters.

It’s sad that the selectors have had to go back to him but then it’s also a commentary on the quality of pacers in India. We can’t guarantee him a place, but a chance to perform will be given. On the other hand, Nehra played his last T20I on January 9, 2011 against South Africa at Durban. He will be useful in the team.

As the cliches go, the India squads – announced yesterday in New Delhi for the oneday and T20 series against Australia – are a mixture of experience and youth, old and young and veterans and greenhorns. “Australia tour flawless chance to give them a shot”.

Yuvraj’s friend and Punjab team-mate Harbhajan Singh too made it to the T20 team along with Ashish Nehra.

India named five new players in their ODI squad – Manish Pandey, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishi Dhawan, Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma and Brainder Sran come in for Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Amit Mishra, Stuart Binny, Sreenath Aravind, the injured Mohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Youngster Gurkeerat Singh has been retained, while Rishi Dhawan has been included for ODIs. Yet, if one looks at the two squads, there are conflicting signals as to whether the wise men want to reward performers in the domestic season or fall back on tried and tested names. And now, as the Australia series beckons, the flamboyant cricketer is ready to make this trip a memorable one.

The fit-again Mohammed Shami is also expected to strengthen the fast bowling department. With the ICC World T20 coming up in March, also at home, the SA matches highlighted India’s frailties in the lower middle order, particularly with skipper MS Dhoni’s finishing touches failing to match an earlier level of consistency.

Team India for T20s: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(C), Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will captain India in next year’s World Twenty20 while Yuvraj Singh has been thrown an worldwide lifeline.

“Lot of speculation, lot of questions, lot of stories were going around”, he said.

The selectors came with a duster, cleared some cobwebs, got rid of doubts and fixed notions and served a huge surprise with their concoction of the T20 and ODI teams for the tour of Australia next month.