Rahul Dravid Urges Decisive Call On Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh's Role In Team

Former India captain Rahul Dravid feels that the 2019 World Cup is not that far away and the time has come to take a decision on the role of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh in the current team. "It is a call that is got to be taken by the selectors and the management," Dravid told 'ESPNCricinfo' when asked about future of Yuvraj and Dhoni. Yuvraj looked very good in the first match of the ICC Champions Trophy against Pakistan while Mahendra Singh Dhoni came good against Sri Lanka.Yuvraj played at No 4 for India while Dhoni came at No 5 in the batting order for most part of the tournament.

"And what they see as the road map for Indian cricket, and where they see the role of both these cricketers going ahead for the next couple of years. Is there a place for both of them? Is there a place for only one of them?

"Do you want to reassess it in a year's time, six months' time? Do you want to look at the available talent and see what they have to offer before going back to these two players," he elaborated further.

India will play the limited-overs series in the West Indies beginning Friday with a full strength squad. However, Dravid hopes the youngsters get a chance in the playing eleven.

"They have taken a decision to go to the West Indies with a full-strength squad. I really hope they are willing to experiment at least in the playing XI and give more opportunities to people.

"If you don't do that, suddenly you don't want to come to a situation and, say, in a year's time, where you say, 'We haven't given people chances so these are the only guys we have got.'

"Better position to be in: 'We have tried everything else, but we still feel that Yuvi and Dhoni are fit, they are playing very well, and they are the guys to see us through.' And no one will complain about that," he said.

Dravid added that time has come to also decide on the spin combination with finger spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja not making much of an impact on flat pitches during the Champions Trophy.

"We are playing on really flat wickets. It is tough on them, and ... it is not happening. If you want wickets in the middle, wrist-spinners and mystery spinners are the ones who look like taking wickets on some of these flat wickets with the fielding restrictions.

"It is nice to have Kuldeep Yadav coming in. He needs to be given a lot more game time. He has got ability, he has got a bit of mystery about him," he added.

Kuldeep has been picked in the squad for the West Indies tour comprising five ODIS and a T20 International.

(With PTI Inputs)