Lack Of Planning On Batting Positions Cost India The 2019 World Cup - Yuvraj Singh

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh opined that the Indian team did not have a set plan for their batting order which came to bite them when it mattered the most in the 2019 ODI World Cup.

Being deemed the favorites, India failed to chase the target of 240 set by New Zealand in the semifinals. The no.4 spot saw plenty of batters being tried at but none of them received enough opportunities to prove themselves.

“When we won the World Cup (2011), we all had a set position to bat. I felt the 2019 World Cup; they didn’t plan it well. They got Vijay Shankar to bat at 4 with just 5-7 ODIs, then they replaced him with Rishabh Pant, who had played 4 ODIs.”

“When the final came, I just couldn’t hit the ball” – Yuvraj Singh on the 2014 T20 World Cup final

Yuvraj spoke about his knock in the 2014 T20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka, where his 21-ball 11 cost India the game. While Virat Kohli was smashing the ball at the other end, Yuvraj’s poor knock meant India only ended up with 130 on the board which wasn’t enough.

“During the T20 World Cup in 2014, I was very low on confidence. There was an atmosphere where I could get dropped. It’s not an excuse but I wasn’t getting enough support from the team. From the time of Gary, I was in Duncan’s era and things had completely changed in the team.”

“When the final came, I just couldn’t hit the ball. I tried to hit the off-spinner and I couldn’t hit it and it went for dots. I tried to get out, I didn’t get out… Everybody thought my career was over after that. I also thought my career was over. But that’s life. You have to accept that,” he further mentioned.

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