Yuvraj is the best option for the No. 6 spot

When the newly-constituted Sandeep Patil-headed national selectors sit down to pick the squad for the upcoming home series against England, beginning November 15, the number six slot in the Indian batting line-up will likely set maximum tongues wagging.

It’s been frustrating to see selectors constantly trying out various players for the No. 6 spot. Sourav Ganguly had made this batting position very much his own, but since his retirement in 2008, not even a single player has shown the resolve to claim it authoritatively. Come the England series, the focus will be on who would pad up for the said batting position.

For long, we thought Yuvraj Singh could be the man to the big shoes of Dada. The southpaw is blessed with a wide repertoire of strokes, and has the ability to pick the length of the ball early and score off even good deliveries. Critics would say Yuvraj hasn’t convinced everyone yet and is not at home against the short ball – a shortfall most Indian batsmen have – save for Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

We have seen a lot of great players, who were iffy against the short ball in the early part of their careers but went to overcome this shortfall with sheer tenacity – Steve Waugh is one name that comes to mind. At the age of 30, Yuvraj can surely tighten this aspect of his batting. And if he does, he could well pan out to be a huge asset for India in Test cricket. His agile fielding and handy left-arm spin can also lend more value to the side.

The manner in which Yuvraj battled a rare germ cell cancer and took part in the World T20 Championship in Sri Lanka speaks volumes of his grit and the pride he wears on his sleeves (to play for the country). His magnificent double century (208) in the Duleep Trophy for North Zone against Central Zone indicated that Yuvi is close to peak form.

The fact that the selectors have picked him in the India ‘A’ 14-member squad for England’s practice game in Mumbai, throws enough hints that Yuvraj is very much on the selectors’ radar as far as his Test career is concerned. Yuvi is in an India ‘A’ team led by Suresh Raina – another southpaw with whom he would be directly competing for the number 6 spot.

A close look at Yuvraj’s career graph in the last one year would show that injury, and not form alone, has derailed Yuvraj’s Test cricket. After playing a pivotal part in India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, Yuvraj gave the West Indies Test series a miss because of a chest infection. His absence allowed someone like Suresh Raina to stake his claim. Raina used the three Test rubber (which India won 1-0) to enhance his batting credentials on the Test stage, scoring 232 runs at an average of 46.40, studded with three fifties and a highest score of 82.

Raina, by dint of his strong showing in the West Indies series, featured in all four Tests during the 2011 England tour. He started the series on a bright note, notching up a fine 78 in the opening Test at Lord’s before his form dipped rapidly- managing just 27 runs in his next 7 innings, including a golden duck in the Oval Test. 105 runs off 8 innings, at an average of 13.12 undid all the good work he did in West Indies and effectively wrote Raina’s temporary obituary from Test cricket.

Yuvraj featured in the lone Trent Bridge Test and scored an impressive 62 before Tim Bresnan unsettled him with the short stuff – Yuvraj injured his left index finger while countering a bouncer off the strapping England seamer and was ruled out of the remainder of the series.

Yuvi did mark a comeback to the Test side for the 2011 West Indies series. The Punjab lad managed just 66 runs of 3 innings at average of 22.00, and was dropped for the 3rd Test – the listless showing, along with being unfit (later diagnosed as germ-cell cancer) was a big factor in Yuvraj missing the Australia tour bus.

Coming back to the present, given the current rich vein of form Yuvraj is in, the selectors should try him at No. 6 as I have always felt that a fit and on-song Yuvraj can do the desired job at that position.

As for Raina, he didn’t exactly let the bat talk during the two home tests against New Zealand. One is not sure whether a half-century in the Bengaluru Test, accompanied by two failures, would be enough to convince the selectors that he deserves a long rope. Only time will tell.

With due respect to Suresh Raina, I have always admired the way he throws his bat around in the ODI and T20 formats, but have no hesitation in saying that I don’t see him as a long-term investment for India, even though he is five years younger to Yuvi. Hopefully, we would see Yuvraj settle the number 6 worries for India, by stamping his authority in the England Test series. Indian cricket would richly benefit from it!