Yuvraj Singh Has Fitness Issues, Says MSK Prasad
MSK Prasad, chief of India’s selection panel, on Monday (December 4) insisted that ‘fitness issues’ is the reason behind veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh getting ignored from another squad selection as the squads for T20Is against Sri Lanka and three Test matches against South Africa was announced.
The southpaw had received a surprise recall for the ODI series against England in January this year and he justified the selection with a career-best 150-run knock in his very second match after comeback. However, things started going downhill for Yuvraj after he had a poor Champions Trophy where he aggregated 105 runs in four innings before not touching 40 in the West Indies and being dropped thereafter.
Any hopes of returning to the team was soon ended after reports emerged that he failed the mandatory Yo Yo test in National Cricket Academy and the reports have been more or less proved right by Prasad as he said the batsman had fitness issues.
“Yuvraj Singh has fitness issues. He has not played a lot of competitive cricket lately,” Prasad said in the press conference after the announcement of the squads.
Earlier in the day, Yuvraj admitted that he failed the Yo Yo test thrice but expressed his desire of continuing the fight after finally passing the fitness test on Sunday (December 3).
“I would like to tell that I am failing. I still fail. I failed the last three fitness tests but yesterday I passed my fitness test. After 17 years I am still failing,” Yuvraj said.
“I am still playing. I don’t know what format I am going to play. But I am pushing everyday as hard as I used to, may be harder than before because I am getting older. And I see myself playing cricket till 2019 and obviously take a call after that,” he added.
Well, if fitness was the reason behind Yuvraj’s ouster then the World Cup-winning star can return to the team for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against South Africa. India have still not been able to zero in on their number four batsman and the experienced left-handed batsman can end India’s painful wait for a reliable batsman at number four.
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