India tour of Australia 2011/12

Sharad Pawar calls for youth in the team

Former BCCI president and currently ICC president Sharad Pawar on Saturday called for injection of youth in the Indian cricket team after two back to back clean sweeps on foreign soil

Former BCCI president and currently ICC president Sharad Pawar on Saturday called for injection of youth in the Indian cricket team after two back to back clean sweeps on foreign soil.

Pawar, however, made clear that it is not job of the cricket board officials to decide on fate of senior players who performed miserably in Australia and got whitewashed. He said it's in hands of selectors to take such a decision.

"Time has come for some changes in the Indian cricket team. The team should now infuse younger generation.

"One has to take risk and give opportunity to younger generation. Such a move might change the entire atmosphere in the team," Pawar said.

"Lots of senior players in the team have been very useful but they are not doing well. Time has definitely come to give chances to the youngsters. There are a galaxy of young talented cricketers in the country to be included," he told reporters.

Asked about India's dismal performance in England and Australia, Pawar replied, "They have not done well and there are rooms for improvement."

However, Pawar declined to comment on the speculation that some veteran crickters might get sacked, explaining the BCCI officials has no role to play in such a decision.

"I don't think that the players or the BCCI has any role in this. It is the job of the selection committee. During my time as president of BCCI I have never discussed with the selectors to include or exclude any player. It must also be the same during the time of Shashank Manohar and the current dispensation," said Pawar, who is also Union agriculture minister.