Yuvraj was picked to ease burden on MS Dhoni: Virat Kohli
India captain Virat Kohli has said Yuvraj Singh was selected in the limited-overs squad to ease the middle-order burden on MS Dhoni. "We cannot leave so much burden on MS alone in the middle order...There needs to be one more guy with Dhoni down the order in case the top order doesn't fire," said Kohli.
The seasoned Yuvraj Singh was recalled to India's limited-overs teams to lend solidity to an inexperience middle-order and ease the burden on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain Virat Kohli said here on Saturday. (Captaincy not a burden, it will make me better: Virat Kohli)Yuvraj's last ODI was against South Africa at Centurion in December 2013. He though played his last T20I versus Australia in Mohali last March during the ICC World Twenty20."Yes, that (experience) is something we have discussed before picking Yuvi because we cannot leave so much burden on MS (Dhoni) alone in the middle order. I am willing to take up responsibility up the order, but there needs to be one more guy with him (Dhoni) down the order in case the top order doesn't fire," Kohli said on the eve of the first of three One-Day Internationals against England. (India seek fresh start under Virat Kohli in first ODI vs England)'JADHAV, PANDYA CAN LEARN A LOT FROM YUVRAJ, DHONI'Kohli said the team's think-tank needed to get its combination right quickly as these were the only games it had in its hands before the Champions Trophy in June. (Kohli lauds Dhoni's smart decision-making)"If the top order doesn't fire you are left with MS alone and he is guiding the youngsters more often than not. Which is fine, if you have 15-20 games till a big tournament (begins).But when you have only three games to prepare for a big tournament, I think you need to get all your resources in place."You need to make sure the guys who have been picked are in good form," said Kohli who added that Ambati Rayudu had also been considered to do this specific job but was injured for a long time. (Virat Kohli's Team India will rewrite history, says MS Dhoni)"So, right now we don't have the time to nurture the one spot as much because we have a big tournament coming up straightaway, that's why Yuvi was brought into the team. We had discussed Rayudu as well, but he has been injured for a long time and didn't have game-time behind him. Yuvi has had a very good first-class season, so obviously he was into the team before anyone else."So, I think this just gives the team much more balance in the middle and lower-middle order with MS and Yuvi. They can really guide Kedar (Jadhav) and Hardik (Pandya) still with them, but to have two experienced guys compared to one is a massive difference. I am sure Hardik and Kedar can learn a lot from them, batting along with them." (Kohli already has a formidable record as ODI captain)ON CHAMPIONS TROPHY