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Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Sanjay Patel defended the omission of five senior players who were part of the victorious 2011 squad from the 30-man World Cup probables, saying their performance in domestic was taken into account.
"Young boys have been selected after due deliberation. Even the seniors' names were also discussed, but performance and the requirement of the team was considered in the proper context.
"The preference of the selectors was based on the present performance and requirement of team, as I have mentioned. The performance of the boys in domestic cricket was also considered. And all the selectors have agreed in selecting the present probables,” he said, after the selection committee released the list in Mumbai on Thursday.
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He said barring any extraordinary circumstances there is no chance of the axed senior players -- Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj Singh – who were all part of the 2011 campaign, making it to the final 15, which has to be named by January 7.
Patel said the probables were decided keeping in mind the requirements of the team.
"It is a balanced team selection. After a lot of deliberation and input by all the selectors, the probables list was finalised. Proper weightage has been given to the performance as well as the requirement of the Indian team to play World Cup at Australia and New Zealand.
"The process has already been completed, so there is basically no scope unless extraordinary things happen. Say, for example, some injury or that kind of thing. Then, in such a situation, we can definitely take a call on."
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Though Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not present at the selection committee meeting, Patel said his views were been considered.
"Captain's views have already been considered and the thing has been discussed with him also."
Asked whether it is the end of the road for players like Sehwag and Yuvraj, Patel said: I would not like to comment on this. It was a selection based on pure cricket performance, requirement of team and future.
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"I think all of us should be happy that a lot of young cricketers have been considered for this, as a part of the probables. I feel that the selectors had considered the future (of Indian cricket) after the World Cup.
On the inclusion of Test opener Murali Vijay as the last name, Patel said, "He was considered on the basis of experience and his ability to play in the conditions of Australia and New Zealand."