Flamboyant Indian left hander Yuvraj Singh is all set to return to the Indian Test squad when the new national selection panel, headed by Sandeep Patil sits down to select the team for the first Test, says a report in the DNA.
“Though skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said that the left-handed batsman was the best judge of his fitness for the rigours of Test cricket after having undergone treatment for cancer, it looks unlikely that the selectors will leave him out of the squad,” says the report.
Yuvraj after successfully battling cancer made a comeback into the Indian T20 squad, he hit a double hundred in Duleep Trophy to announce his arrival in the longer format.
“Chosen for India A against the England cricketers in the tourists opening three-day warm-up game at the Brabourne Stadium here, Yuvraj scored a fine 59 with seven fours and four sixes and then grabbed a career-best first-class haul of five wickets,” says the report.
Meanwhile, The Hindustan Times report that Yuvraj has an edge over Suresh Raina, as well as Manoj Tiwary, in the race for the No. 6 slot.
But the selectors have a tough decision to make following the injury to Zaheer Khan, other problem for them will be the form of the two openers.
“The poor form of openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag — both of whom have not scored a Test century for around two years — will also be debated, though they may ultimately be picked. Sehwag suffered a finger injury on Saturday. Batsman Ajinkya Rahane is expected to be retained as stand-in opener. Others who may get lucky include bowlers Ashok Dinda, Pankaj Singh, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav,” says the report.
