Answered! Why is Stuart Binny in India's World Cup squad?

Why is Stuart Binny in India's World Cup squad? The answer to this most-asked question over the past fortnight is here.

Binny's name in BCCI's final 15 for its World Cup defence made as much noise as Yuvraj Singh's exclusion. For some, Robin Uthappa would have been a better choice, but Binny? Never.

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But Sandeep Patil & Co. had their reasons to name Binny, as suggested by many experts on social and mainstream media. But equalling those numbers were experts who said it may not serve India any good.

Putting all right or wrong conjectures to bed, India coach Duncan Fletcher has responded to the question the whole of India is searching an answer for, while admitting his nervousness over how fruitful Binny's inclusion is going to be.

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"That's one area [seam-up allrounder] that makes me a bit nervous," Fletcher told the officialBCCI website. What we need in these conditions [in Australia and New Zealand] is a good batting allrounder who bowls seam. That will add depth in our batting and give us that extra bowler," the Zimbabwean, who is expected to leave his coaching job after the World Cup, said.

"That is the real reason why we have Stuart Binny in the squad," Fletcher gave the most-wanted answer.

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Fletcher's reasoning is not without logic, since the bounce and pace in Australia and the swing and seam on offer in New Zealand should assist Binny if he hits the right line and length. But what shouldn't be missed is that the coach mentioned him as a "batting allrounder who bowls seam."

Most probably, if included in the eleven, Binny will be batting at No. 7, a position that has remained vacant ever since Kapil Dev left the scene. And those crucial 30-40 runs in crunch situations is what Fletcher expects from the Karnataka allrounder.

"We'll have to have a close look at him here because batting deep is going to be very, very important in this World Cup," Fletcher, who is on his third coaching assignment in a World Cup, said.

Quite clearly, though, despite reasoning Binny's selection, Fletcher sounds 50:50 about his success. Hope Binny turns in performances that save the coach and selectors the blushes.