World Cup team selection brings three cheers to UP

Suresh Raina had proved his talent in all formats of the game and had even led the Indian cricket team in the Zimbabwe tour last year. There are no doubts about his value in the ODIs. Besides being a terrific batsman,he is an excellent fielder and can perform well with the ball as well. Pacer Praveen Kumar has been a useful bowler for the team. Though he may not have that much of speed but what is important is that he seems to be knowing the art of taking wickets on Indian pitches. Captain Dhoni also has a great deal of confidence in him.

Though leg-spinner Piyush Chawla’s selection may be surprising to many because he has not played in ODI’s for more than two years but the fact that he is a leg-spinner probably could have been his plus. Besides,he has done fairly well in the Ranji Trophy this season especially in UP’s last Super League Group B match in which it faced Karnataka. In that match,Chawla took five wickets in an innings and also scored a century. Being out of Team India for a considerable period,he tried to prove his worth by using IPL and county cricket as platforms.

Talking to The Indian Express,Gopal Sharma,former international cricketer from UP and chairman selection committee of the UP Ranji team said that he is glad that “his boys have been able to do what he could not.” “I am very happy and feeling proud that for the first time three UP players have been able to make it to the Indian team which will be taking part in a mega event like the World Cup. It shows that we have some very good talent in the state. I was there in India’s 20-member probables camp for the 1987 World Cup but could not make it to the 15-member squad announced for the same,” he said.

Suresh Raina’s coach Deepak Sharma said,“The selection of three UP players has come as a pleasant surprise because usually domestic cricket does influence selections and UP this year could not reach far enough in Ranji Trophy. Raina,Praveen and Piyush are all good cricketers. The importance of spinners on Indian pitches must have prompted the selectors to pick Piyush Chawla…all the more because he is a leggie. I hope they perform well and bring laurels to the nation. I phoned Raina and congratulated him today.”

UP team manager and former UP Ranji Trophy player Ashish Winston Zaidi said that he felt elated at the fact that three UP players have been selected in the squad. “Being a pacer myself,I have given certain tips to Praveen. I just hope that he will be able to make use of them,” he disclosed.