“Healthy competition at top-order won’t rule out the likes of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag from the Indian team,” says the former chief selector Kiran More. India’s new opening pair in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan has been quite successful in the recent past but if experience is required on tough tours, then selectors can surely switch back to the senior pros.
More was quoted by Indian Express saying, "Competition is a healthy sign for Indian cricket. There is a good healthy competition going on. Whoever performs will be in the team. If somebody is unfit then Gambhir or Sehwag or (even) Zaheer Khan can walk in. You need experience also when you go on tough tours. Overall it is looking good and you can fall back on some of the players.”
This dynamic duo of Delhi-Mumbai has tasted some recent success in Champions Trophy and Tri-Nation series and is looking good in touch. More, on the blend of experience and fresh legs, said, "They (Gambhir and Sehwag) have to keep performing in domestic cricket. They need to have the belief. It is a healthy competition. All these players who are playing at the moment could also have a bad phase and some of these guys can come into the team then.”
Former selector was quoted by The Hindu saying, "When you look at the balance of the team, Rohit as an opener is doing well for the team. The selectors, coach and captain gave him the opportunity and he grabbed it. His experience is helping him. Definitely he is a class player. He is doing well.”
“Dhawan has just come in as a new cricketer. He has done well but bowlers will try to come up with new ideas to get him out, so he needs to get more experience and play at least 70 to 80 matches before the 2015 World Cup. Dhawan has a good work ethic and works really hard. We need to get a good mix of 25 players who can be ready to play for India at any time," he said.
Former selector wants the likes of Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to play some more matches and get ready for the World Cup 2015 and most importantly they need to remain injury-free.
"We need good fast bowlers. Most of the fast bowlers have major injuries. To come back and get into the team is not so easy. Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are bowling very well. We need to look at a few more options in the fast bowling department. The Indian team is lacking a little bit in that area," he said.
He was quoted by Deccan Chronicle saying, "I think it's too early to talk about the 2015 World Cup. Definitely the players are young and some of the players need experience. Each player needs to have played about 80-100 matches because that experience always helps you. I feel a player like Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs to play more matches so that by the time the 2015 World Cup comes I think we will have more experience.”
"All the players have played good cricket. Whether it is (Suresh) Raina or (Ravindra) Jadeja or (Ravichandran) Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, all of them have played good level of cricket in the last two to three years. That experience will really help.”