Tough on Yuvraj Singh, But World Cup Axe Was Expected From BCCI Selectors: Sunil Gavaskar to NDTV

Board of Control for Cricket in India selectors, on Tuesday, announced India's 15-man squad for the upcoming World Cup 2015 and left out Yuvraj Singh. Former skipper and NDTV expert Sunil Gavaskar said Yuvraj would have got the signal early about him missing the bus but sympathised with the star all-rounder.

"Yuvraj would have got the signal when the probables were named (by BCCI in December). It's hard on him and a huge blow to his morale," Gavaskar said.

Yuvraj, currently out-of-favour with the national selectors, was India's hero of the 2011 World Cup. Yuvraj battled cancer to take India to World Cup glory with an all-round performance (362 runs and 15 wickets) that earned him the man-of-the-tournament award.

Yuvraj's name did the rounds since Monday after he has been scoring big in domestic cricket. But his recent Ranji Trophy heroics, where he smashed three back-to-back centuries, were not enough for him to merit a place in the side.

Gavaskar, however, believes this axing should spur Yuvraj on to keep performing in the domestic circuit and make his way back into the side.

"The World Cup axe should spur Yuvraj to score double tons in Ranji and win his place back in the team. He is only 33 years old, he should be motivated to make a comeback," Gavaskar said.

Talking about the squad, Gavaskar felt it was good enough to defend the World Cup crown in Australia and New Zealand and emphasised on the importance of bowling well.

"If they bowl well on Australian wickets, India will defend the World Cup," Gavaskar said.

India's World Cup campaign, under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will begin on a thrilling note when they will take on arch-nemesis Pakistan on February 15.