Sending Yuvraj to open not right: Azad

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">NEW DELHI:</span> Outgoing national selector Kirti Azad said that it was unfair to push Yuvraj Singh to the opening slot in the ongoing warm-up game in Bangalore. In an unexpected but not altogether surprising move, Sourav Ganguly sent Yuvraj along with Virender Sehwag to open the innings late on Thursday evening.In the first innings, though, Akaash Chopra had opened with Sehwag. <br /><br />"It’s unfair to not only Akaash but also to Yuvraj," explained Kirti. "It sends the wrong message to all the other openers in the fray and also puts unnecessary pressure on Yuvraj," he added. <br /><br />"Why was he not tried out in England when there was an opportunity," he asked. "Why was Laxman pushed into the role (after Tendulkar’s exit)?" <br /><br />The Indian captain might, of course, only be looking at all the options before him. Akaash, who had done splendidly in Australia and Pakistan until he was displaced in the third Test, made only 18 in the first innings. Yuvraj was unbeaten on 23 while Sehwag on 12 at stumps on Thursday. <br /><br />Kirti, who was replaced by Yashpal Sharma in the new panel, didn’t sound unhappy with the development at all. "I have had my stint. I did it to the best of my ability and I’ve enjoyed every bit," he said. <br /><br />"Our panel blooded a number of youngsters and I can proudly say that the Indian team looked its strongest in the last two years," he said. "I just hope that there are no dramatic changes in the squad." <br /><br />He felt that the Indian batsmen’s recent poor sequence was just an aberration. "It happens once in a hundred years that all seven batsmen run into poor form," he said. <br /><br />Kirti also expressed his happiness at Ranbir Singh Mahendra’s election as BCCI president on Wednesday. "I am glad that a North Zone man has won as it was our turn. I have great regard for Sharad Pawar. But he should not have contested this time," he said.</div> </div>