Why selectors chose these 15 men to defend our World Champions title in World Cup 2015

It came along expected lines when the senior national selection committee, headed by Sandeep Patil, picked up the 15-member squad they believe will defend the ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand starting on February 14. For starters, there was no place for Yuvraj Singh, the Player of the Tournament four years ago. Rightly so.

A couple of players — Robin Uthappa and Murali Vijay — may have felt hard done by, but they needn't lose heart. The selectors had to pick 15 and 13 of those selected themselves. It was hoped that Vijay would get the nod based on his fine run in Tests not just in Australia but also in England last year.

In the last year or so, Vijay has been one of India's most consistent batsman overseas. He would have a fair idea of the conditions in Australia and could have come in handy if the opportunity arose.

But Patil & Co. did not award the Tamil Nadu opener with a berth in the 17-member squad for the tri-series against Australia and England preceding the quadrennial mega event. With Vijay not figuring in Dhoni's ODI scheme of things, it was only fair that that the think-tank went with an ODI specialist for that 15th slot. Anyway, India already have three openers — Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.

The fifth seamer's slot — Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav being the four automatic choices — also was a toss-up between Stuart Binny, who can bat better than Mohit Sharma, who has been effective at the death with his slower ones. However, Dhoni has always been keen on a medium-pace bowling all-rounder and who better than Binny at the moment? When it comes to the fielding aspect, there is hardly anything to choose from between Binny and Mohit.

However, if there is anything to be debated upon, it ought to be on the selection of two left-arm spinners in the squad. There is little to choose between Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, both similar in style and the former obviously more experienced with 109 ODI appearances compared with the latter's nine. Both, on their given day, can smack the ball in the death overs with Jadeja being the more reliable one.

Rarely have two left-arm spinners played together in an ODI — the last time was when both Jadeja and Patel played together against Sri Lanka in November against Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad with the Saurashtra bowler going for 1/64 as against the Gujarat youngster's 2/39. More so in Australia and New Zealand. The selectors may have opted for an additional batsman in the form of either Uthappa or even Vijay while Patel could have been on the standby list should Jadeja not fully recover from his shoulder injury. Also, Jadeja will have to be on his feet as far as match-fitness is concerned. Should he figure in the XI on January 18, India's first game of the tri-series, it would be after 10-and-a-half weeks since he last played a game.

Jadeja also figures in the 17-member squad for the tri-series that includes Mumbai speedster Dhawal Kulkarni and Mohit Sharma in addition to the World Cup 15.

"Jadeja at present is undergoing rehabilitation programme. He is doing wonderfully well. We had detailed discussion with BCCI physio (on his inclusion) and we are confident that he will return to training within 10 days," BCCI secretary and convenor of the national selection committee meeting, Sanjay Patel said on Tuesday.

On the whole, the batting looks stronger on paper and Dhoni will only pray that his bowlers put their act together to live up to the tag of the defending champions. It is a shame that India's best fast bowling unit are Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav and all four are not at their best in Australia as can be seen in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

But then, aren't India showstoppers in ODIs, better than in Tests?