New Delhi: As expected five heroes of last World Cup which India had won, were nowhere in the reckoning when the squad for World Cup 2015 was announced. There were whispers and to some extent confirmed news that Yuvraj Singh might just make it but he failed to make a come back when 15 names were flashed.
It's an irony that the heroes of the 2011 World Cup triumph will not only be missing in the upcoming World Cup but their career seem more or less over.
Sachin Tendulkar is the only hero of the last World Cup who retired all formats of the game last year. He was the second highest run getter in his last world cup in 2011 with 482 runs in matches including 2 centuries.
Let's look out for such players who will definitely be missed by the cricket fans:
1) Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj was highly criticized for his inclusion in the squad for the poor run-form but he was the main star of the victory. Whether with the bat or with the ball, he made the nation proud with his all-round abilities. The Man of the Tournament in 2011 world cup with 362 runs and 15 wickets has lost his rhythm. After the World T20 final against Sri Lanka in 2014 he was ripped apart by his own fans.
He has been an all-rounder in the team but today he has been replaced by the young and fresh talent. Ambati Rayudu might probably have taken his spot while Rahane and Raina with Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli form a strong middle order. Even the batting legend Sourav Ganguly also doesn't see him playing again.
2) Virender Sehwag
One of the most destructive openers in cricket is now struggling for his comeback in team India. The man of scored a boundary on the very first ball in almost every match in WC 2011, is in his poor form from past 1 year or even more than that. He might have scored 380 runs in 2011, but is certainly not in the scene of replacing Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane as the prime choice of the openers who are also enjoying their time.
He has good record on the tracks of Australia and New Zealand but one cannot rely just on records. He has been discarded from the ODI side since January 2013 and it might be just a dream more for Sehwag fans to see him in action whacking the ball all over the ground.
3) Gautam Gambhir
Another promising Indian opener who laid the platform for India in finals in 2011 with his brilliant 97 is too struggling with his form in international as well as domestic cricket. Though he was given the chance in tests in England earlier this year replacing Dhawan but he could not make the best out of it.
Apart from this, India have already settled with the openers like Dhawan and Rohit Sharma and even Murali Vijay and Rahane and it his highly impossible that he may ever represent in blues again.
4) Zaheer Khan
India's leading fast bowler Zaheer Khan and the reason behind the World Cup 2011 victory have lost his place due to regular injuries. The pace department is now well set with the talents of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron.
He was the leading wicket taker with 21 wickets in 2011 jointly with Shahid Afridi but after bowlers like Aaron, Yadav have started to scare the batsmen with their pace.
Bhuvneshwar and Shami can swing the ball while Ishant and Umesh Yadav can deliver well above 140 kmph which confirms their berth for the World Cup 2015. It is almost unlikely for ZAK to make a comeback to Team India.
he selectors and captain too have not included Zaheer in finaI15 squad for World Cup.
5) Harbhajan Singh
Known as the turbanator and now being a drop out from the international side, Harbhajan Singh has been discarded from the one-day side way back in June 2011. The 400 Test wicket taker has looked off shape and his spinning abilities have gone to dust. With Ravichandran Ashwin grabbing his place and spinners like Akshar Patel and Karn Sharma proving their worth, it seems like the road has ended for Bhajji. He had a chance to prove in the CLT20 this year, which he has failed to do and made things worse for him.
