The remaining ODIs against the Kiwis will provide a chance for India hopefuls to showcase their performance ahead of the WC, says former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar. Team India might be sans its biggest stars but the present lot under Gautam Gambhir has already given national selectors a headache of choosing the right options for the upcoming World Cup, feels Manjrekar.
"Things are falling into place for India. The good thing is that the selectors have a problem of plenty ahead of the World Cup. There have been so many good performances by the players at home that they have quite a few options but the real challenge for them is to pick the right guys," the Mumbaikar said.
Manjrekar feels that there are still some slots available in the World Cup squad. "The World Cup team is more or less ready, but there are still some slots open. A couple of players would be looking to come up with good performances to make sure they have that World Cup berth."
"Yuvraj Singh needs to do something spectacular and with the kind of ability that he has, one can say that it's just a matter of time," he added.
The 45-year-old says that hard hitting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan might just be in a race against time to prove his worth for the showpiece event.
"Time is almost running out for Yusuf. He needs to make best use of this chance and remind the selectors that he too can be a good option in Indian conditions," Manjrekar said.
India, leading 2-0 in the on-going five-match ODI series against New Zealand, have a chance to reclaim the second spot in ODI rankings if they win the third game at Vadodara.
Manjrekar believes the pitch at the Baroda Cricket Association ground will suit the batters. "The outfield at the venue will be lush green and the pitch will be devoid of grass. Under perfect batting conditions, the team with better batting ability shall prevail," the former Test batsman said.
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