India Can't Carry 'Passengers' in World Cup 2015 Squad: Gavaskar

Seniors Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan have been ignored for the 2015 World Cup by the national selectors. The 'big five', who were part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad, were not named among the 30 probables for next year's event. On Thursday, the selectors chose to focus on youth and form and Sunil Gavaskar backed the decision, saying: "since cricket has become faster, teams cannot afford to carry passengers."

Speaking to NDTV, Gavaskar said he had expected the selectors to drop the veterans as they had not made a mark in domestic cricket. "It was not a surprise because they did not figure in the playing XI for over a year and a half," said the former India opener.

"If they had been scoring runs or taking wickets (in domestic matches), they would have certainly been in contention. Cricket (however) has become quicker, faster and teams cannot afford to take passengers," Gavaskar said, hinting how the game has moved rapidly since 2011.

None of the 2011 World Cup stars left out of the probables' list had made a telling mark in the domestic circuit recently - Sehwag (9, 20, 11, 80 and 0), Gambhir (22, 4, 93, 23 and 22), Yuvraj (half century and four wickets), Harbhajan (three wickets and a half-century) and Zaheer (4 wickets from his last four outings - in IPL 2014) all being outshone by youngsters in their last five appearances. (Yuvraj Wants to Play for India Again)

Gavsakar, while admitting that experience counts, said form is always paramount. "Experience is invaluable, particularly in must-win games. But the fact is that they have not been in form, they haven't brushed for a place in the 30 probables is a telling indicator."

Interestingly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin were the only survivors from the squad that won the 2011 World Cup. Gavaskar felt that while it is unusual to have so many 'fresh' faces between two World Cups, modern-day cricket has evolved to warrant it. (World Cup Goes on a Shark Drive)

"Certainly this is something which is unusual. (But) It is the nature of the game, this is the way the game has progressed," he said.

Gavaskar had earlier said that Yuvraj and Sehwag can always make it to the national side if they play well whenever a chance comes. The World Cup snub though, he feels, is not a definite end to their careers.

"You can never say it (career) is finished because cricket is a funny game," he said. "It does look like it is the end of the road for them but they will have to score tons of runs to stake their claim for the team."

That, however, is not going to happen ahead of the World Cup early next year. The final 15-member squad should be announced latest by January 7.