No country for old men - Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj and Zaheer face the comeback challenge

World Cup heroes on a French sojourn – Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan

Proud heroes of India’s glorious 2011 World Cup campaign, both Yuvi and Zak have fallen from the elite pedestal in the past couple of years.

Over the past few months, each and every small news and Twitter update on the duo’s training coming out of France has been heartening. A high performance physical trainer, Tim Exeter’s name was suggested to them by Zaheer’s coach Sudhir Naik, for boosting their fitness level, and the duo seem to have done a world of good to their physiques.

Being out of favour is nothing new for Zaheer Khan, whose county stint with Worcestershire sharpened his skills and turned him into a top class wicket-taking bowler. Out of form and out of the national team, in 2006, in the cold English downpour, Zaheer Khan studied and fine tuned his skills, making the sort of return which can inspire a horde of youngsters who have fallen by the wayside after a season or two.

After a dream run and a World Cup win in the past four years, his knowledge and skills have remained intact, even enhanced, but his body has failed him. With time running out quickly for him, it must have taken a lot of motivation and that maverick urge to play the sport that sent him to a European nation not known for its cricket, and made him work on his shortcomings.

Zaheer Khan training in France

He’s back five kilograms lighter and hopefully, with more years of international cricket left in him.

His partner on this journey, Yuvraj Singh looked good for another 50-odd runs before he holed out in the deep yesterday after making a brilliant century. After the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj has certainly achieved immortality in Indian cricket’s history, and that “passion for cricket” still remains in him.

By his own admission, his goal is featuring in the 2015 World Cup. There’s no doubt that India needs his services, and after turning 32 in December this year, it won’t be a surprise if he does make it.

Yuvraj Singh in France during training

In understanding the need of the hour, this duo has fared much better than Sehwag and Gambhir, and are further helped by the fact that India cannot deny the services of an in-form and seasoned all-rounder and pace bowler.

Murali Vijay and Rohit Sharma, if not having set the stage alight, haven’t really disappointed in the recent past either, and however odd it may sound, the Delhi duo has harder competition to beat.

The past one year has seen MS Dhoni’s Indian team take a very distinct shape, devoid of any old machinery. But some of these parts are now well-oiled and having run the countless miles, are prepared to pull Indian cricket further ahead.

Experience isn’t an enemy of Indian cricket. The problem here in the subcontinent has been the inability of the stars to know when their time is up. Having seen so many examples before, it’s only fair that the fans and selectors tread with caution ahead. But maybe, only maybe, some of these stars do know there’s some gas left in the tank.

Yuvraj and Gambhir are nearing 32, Sehwag and Zaheer, 35. The fact remains, however, that no matter how greatly the likes of Dhawan, Pujara, Kohli and Jadeja may perform, if you’ve seen what these stalwarts are capable of, you wouldn’t mind them getting their fair chance for that one last hurrah in their magnificent careers.