Monday, May 9, 2011

Yuvraj, Harbhajan ready to tour West Indies

CHANDIGARH: Amidst speculations that most of the senior members of team are likely to skip the upcoming West Indies tour, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh confirmed that they will play if selected.

"The board has not discussed anything with us in this regard. But if selected I would definitely play in West Indies," said Yuvraj Singh on Monday.

Bhajji also reiterated Yuvraj's commitment.

After losing seven matches on the trot and then finally winning a game at his hometown Pune Warriors skipper said, "Sourav will definitely play the next match. He was supposed to play against Kings XI Punjab but wanted two more days to get fit."

The southpaw said he is not sure of his team getting a berth in playoff games but "we would take one game at a time and see later on."

Regarding recent media reports of unsavoury elements surrounding senior Indian players in South Africa during IPL 2, Harbhajan Singh said, "I do not want to comment on it. And do not ask this question ever to me. Mind you."

Fletcher to be part of selection meeting for WI tour

Team India coach Duncan Fletcher will get his first opportunity to acquaint himself with captain MS Dhoni, selectors and senior BCCI officials when he arrives in the country later this week to help select the one-day squad for the West Indies tour.

The national selection committee, along with Dhoni, are scheduled to meet in Chennai on May 13 to pick a 15-member squad for the five-match One-day series in West Indies.

Fletcher will join them and it will be his first interaction with the men responsible for all cricketing decisions in BCCI.

However, Fletcher is unlikely to travel with the team to West Indies. Instead, the BCCI will appoint bowling consultant Eric Simmons as the interim coach during the tour while Fletcher will officially take charge when India depart for England for a Test and One-day series. BCCI officials said Fletcher was keen to attend the May 13 selection committee meeting.

After coaching England's national team for eight years and spending time as batting consultant with the South African national team, Fletcher replaced former South African coach Gary Kirsten for the India job.

His success with England in particular, where he helped the team regain the Ashes after 18 years, brought him into limelight as one of the top coaches in the world.

toi

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