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The Indian cricket team’s chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar believes all-rounders will hold the key to success at the upcoming World Cup, and Irfan Pathan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni could lend balance to the Indian middle-order.

In what could be music to Pathan’s ears, Vengsarkar said the 22-year-old, subject to his inclusion in the squad, coming in at number seven will strengthen the lower-order batting and will also allow the team to play five specialist bowlers.

“India have an advantage with a wicketkeeper-batsman like Mahendra Singh Dhoni batting at No 6 and Irfan Pathan at No 7. (But) this is all subject to the selection on the 12th February (when the World Cup squad is to be picked),” he said.

“The conditions in West Indies are similar to those in India. However, the importance of having all-rounders in the squad is crucial in one-day cricket, for not only the batting line-up gets the much required depth but an all-rounder could send down effective overs that matter in the ultimate analysis,” he said.

Source:The News