ICC World Cup 2019: Yuvraj Singh lashes out on team management

Yuvraj Singh lashes out on team management, says India needed a solid No.4

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh has come down hard on Indian team management for not resolving the middle order muddle. India lost to New Zealand in the first semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2019. Ravindra Jadeja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored 116 runs between them but couldn’t get India across the line as the Men in Blue fell short by 18 runs. Yuvraj Singh criticized India’s inefficiency of coming up with a solid number four and cited it as the premier reason of India’s exit.

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He also said that they should have Ambati Rayudu a long rope who decided to hang his boots after the World Cup snub. “They should have groomed someone. If someone was failing at No.4, they should have told the player that he was going for playing in the World Cup. In 2003, we played against New Zealand and we failed to perform. However, the same team played in the World Cup.”

“It was really disappointing to see what they did with Ambati Rayudu. He was in contention for the World Cup. He was in good form in New Zealand but after four or five bad innings, he was eventually dropped.”

“You cannot drop someone only because he is not able to perform at that time. Rishabh Pant came in and he got dropped too. If No.4 is a crucial position in ODIs, and you want someone in that position, you will have to back him. ”

India’s middle order failed after Matt Henry and Trent Boult got the better of the top order in the first semi-final. Middle-order batsmen could not perform before Jadeja came in.

New Zealand handed over a defeat to India and knocked them out of the tournament.