Thaindian News

Chennai, Sep 20 (IANS) Selection committee chairman Krishnamachari Srikkanth Monday said weightage was given to form and fitness while picking the cricket squad for the two-match home Test series against Australia.
All-rounder Yuvraj Singh has been dropped and he has been replaced by young Saurashtra strokemaker Cheteshwar Pujara.

Pujara, the 22-year-old from Rajkot aggregated 3,925 runs in 49 first class matches, at an average of 60.38 with a best of 302 not out.

Pujara has been also included in the Board President’s XI squad for the three-day game against Australia in Chandigarh Sep 25-27 and, needless to say, his performance will be watched with more than a passing interest.

“I think we don’t have to give any reasons. Everything is on performance and fitness also has been taken into account. That itself answers your question,” was Srikkanth’s retort when queried about Yuvraj Singh’s exclusion.

“Pujara has done very well in the domestic circuit in the last couple of seasons. He is a good player and has done very well in the ‘A’ series. By sheer weightage of performance, he has muscled his way in.

“You have to give credit to a lot of domestic performance, ‘A’ series and everything else. Overall, we have selected the best team. I don’t think there are any surprises - inclusion or exclusion.”

Giving an overview of the team, Srikkanth said: “We have selected a powerful team. We have a very strong batting line-up backed up with good bowling and we are confident of doing very well against Australia.”

“We have an important series against Australia, and then we have New Zealand, South Africa and followed by the most important World Cup. We discussed everything, but our focus now is on the Test series against Australia. We have discussed threadbare and we have selected the best team.

“I am sure the team automatically picks itself by sheer weightage of performance and I don’t think there any big guesses in this. We have consulted (coach) Gary Kirsten and (captain) Mahendra Singh Dhoni.”