Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delh, Injured Indian pacers, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, are doubtful for the World Cup, according to a top BCCI official.
Ishant and Kumar are currently undergoing treatment in Australia and are scheduled to undergo a fitness test on February 7. However, their participation in the mega event seems to be “seriously doubtful”, according to the official.
“The board has given a deadline to the injured players to prove their fitness but from what we are hearing from the team management that some of them may not be fit to play at the start of the event. In that case, it’s better to replace them now rather than waiting for the tournament to begin,” he said.
Both Bhuvneshwar and Ishant are crucial in skipper MS Dhoni’s scheme of things and their loss will be major setback to the team. If a replacement is indeed needed then Mohit Sharma is likely to be the first name to be considered.
BCCI source added that Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma, also in the injured list, would be fit for the tournament and are expected to pass the fitness test. However, an official with the team in Adelaide said that ‘replacement rumours’ are preposterous and speculative.
“As you know the team is on complete break from cricket. The players who are unfit have been given a schedule to follow. They will not be at the ground before Friday. Till then there is no way to know who will be fit.
“Yes, it is taking long for the injured players to recover which is not a good sign. It is obvious, if there is any doubt about their fitness, they will have to be replaced. But the process is not simple. First we have to be sure that the concerned player will not recover during the duration of the World Cup. The ICC then has to be convinced with full medical report that the injury is really not going to heal in time, only then can the player be replaced,” the team official said.
“Thereafter, the selectors in consultation with the team management will decide who the replacement would be,” he said.
It is obvious that the air will be cleared only after the team reassembles on Friday and has its first net session. Only then the fitness of the players will be tested.
