2015 World Cup squad: Dhoni plays chief selector

Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have quit Test cricket but he has left a huge imprint on the Team India squad selected for the ICC World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand from next month. In the build-up to the team selection, the guessing games have been on. And the latest in that list of "will he, won't he" was Yuvraj Singh, hero of the World Cup win in 2011. Three Ranji tons on the trot and yet not in the list for the World Cup this time may seem harsh.

I think the selectors have done well to move away from the past and not got carried away by Yuvraj's performances in domestic cricket on flat tracks. And for all those who still wonder why Yuvi was left out, please remember he was not even in the original list of probables.

Almost 13 members virtually picked themselves in the squad of 15 but where there was room for manoeuvring, Dhoni and the selectors led by Sandeep Patil, decided to leave out some players who could have been in.

Everyone knows Dhoni has battled fitness issues for a while now and he wanted rest to be fit for the ODI series in Australia and then the high-profile World Cup. The man who won India the World Cup in 2011 with his winning shot and also won India the World T20 in 2007 is battling major fitness issues. His back has been sore and the injury on his right hand is now well known.

There is no reserve wicket keeper in the squad unless you are talking of Ambati Rayudu. Logic demanded Robin Uthappa, who in the past has played in Australia, be included as reserve keeper. But the selectors plus Dhoni have gone with Rayudu who has played ODIs before but never  kept for 50 overs in a match.

One hopes Dhoni will be fit right through as the defending champions can do well in Australia and New Zealand.

Coming to the selection of all-rounder Stuart Binny, it remains to be seen where and when he gets to play. If you look at the composition of the 11, it will be as follows: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and the three medium pacers - Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav. If Rayudu has to get in, a batsman may have to be replaced.

There is no leg spinner in the squad which means Karn Sharma or Amit Mishra will be watching the World Cup from India. It is well known Dhoni doesn't think too highly of leg spinners but for variety one of them could have been taken along. One also does feel bad for medium pacer Mohit Sharma, who has been in good form and in the conditions Down Under would have done well.

There are questions which will still be asked: why was Ravindra Jadeja chosen considering he is not fit, following a shoulder injury? More than that, he has not played competitive cricket for a while.

If you look at the 2011 World Cup squad so many prominent names are gone: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh.

The World Cup final is on March 29, maybe then we can again reminisce on the Team India selection. Or am I looking too far ahead?