Well, this might prove to be one of the most sensational news of the recent times. In case a report running in Mail Today is to be believed, the fabulous four might be included in the squad for upcoming tour of Bangladesh. Until a few years back it was beyond one’s imagination to even think of an India XI without Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh. All the fabulous four have already given a significant contribution to the triumphant 2011 World Cup campaign, and three of them helped India reach the top in Test rankings.
There have a few legitimate concerns of their poor fitness and form, due to which it was impossible for them to stake their claim for a Team India spot. So much so they no more set the field ablaze even in domestic cricket or the Indian Premier League. Therefore, no one was surprised when the national selectors stopped considering them a long while ago but given their service to Indian cricket, it would be a big blot to let them walk into the sunset just like that.
It appears that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is thinking on these lines. It is considering the idea of sending Sehwag, Zaheer, Harbhajan and Yuvraj for a farewell series in Bangladesh next month.
If the efforts of a concerned section of BCCI has its way, it will definitely provide the players an opportunity to display the fire and talent in them while talking a final bow from their sparkling careers wearing the India shirt.
As per the story, a senior BCCI official is stated to have told MAIL TODAY that while it is too early to confirm whether the quartet will go to Bangladesh, talks have been going on to give them a sendoff that their services to Indian cricket deserve.
“What they have done for Team India in the past decade will be hard to match. But as is the case with every sport, time does catch up with you. So we are thinking about giving them an opportunity to go to Bangladesh and sign off on a high…. Some people may term it an emotional decision, but so what? But yes, the idea needs the approval of national selectors,” he said.
The Indians quad is to be selected on May 20 in Mumbai. The tour begins with the Test in Fatullah on June 10 and ends with a day-night ODI in Mirpur on June 24.
With the proposed inclusion of these former stars, it could turn out to be an interesting tour – featuring a Test and three ODIs – if the fading stars are indeed picked.
Asked if the stalwarts will be given a chance for the entire series, the BCCI official said, “That would depend on the selectors. It could very well be that some of the players are picked just for the Test match while the others are picked for the ODI series.”
The prevailing feeling in the Board seems to be that India, irrespective of the team it sends, will beat Bangladesh. A virtual ‘A’ team sent to the neighboring country last year recorded a clean sweep.
But we must understand that Bangladesh have made significant improvement since then. They made it to the quarter-finals of this year’s World Cup and beat Pakistan 3-0 in an ODI series recently.