World Cup 2019: Rishabh Pant, Ambati Rayudu named India's standby batsmen

Pant and Rayudu's exclusion from the squad of 15 had created quite a stir on Monday. While Sunil Gavaskar called Pant's omission surprising, the snub to Rayudu was questioned by Gautam Gambhir

Days after missing the ticket to World Cup 2019, young wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and batsman Ambati Rayudu have been named among the standbys. This move from the BCCI has certainly reignited their hopes of making the trip to the UK in case an injury setback hits the side. Speedster Navdeep Saini also found a place in the list of three back-ups for the mega-event starting on May 30. Pant and Rayudu's exclusion from the squad of 15 had created quite a stir on Monday. While Sunil Gavaskar called Pant's omission surprising, the snub to Rayudu was questioned by Gautam Gambhir. With the ICC doing away with the practice of letting countries announce a probable list before the final squad, the BCCI also has the option of including anyone apart from these three but it is unlikely to happen. “Just like ICC Champions Trophy, we have three standbys. Rishabh Pant and Ambati Rayudu are the first and second standbys while Saini is the bowler in the list. So if anyone gets injured, as per requirement, one of the three will be going,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on Wednesday. While Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan and Deepak Chahar will be travelling with the team purely as net bowlers, they can also be drafted in if the management feels so. “Khaleel, Avesh and Deepak are not designated standbys. In case of bowlers, that possibility is there but when it comes purely to batsmen, it will be either Rishabh or Rayudu,” the official said. In other developments, there will be no Yo-Yo Test for the World Cup-bound players as the IPL is going to end only on May 12, just a few days before India head to the UK. India are scheduled to play their opening World Cup match on June 5 against South Africa in Southampton. “The players are already in the middle of a gruelling T20 season. Once the IPL ends, they will need recovery time. It's not like that there is a gap between two series and you are having a test. If you are tired, the results may vary,” the official explained.