Yuvraj set to lose place in Test side
Chennai, Sept. 19: Middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh could find it difficult to retain his spot in the Indian Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Australia. Saurashtra’s Cheteshwar Pujara is likely to earn his maiden call up to the national squad when the senior selection committee meets at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Monday to name the squad for the Test series and the Rest of India team for the Zal Irani Cup.
The other likely change in the squad that toured Sri Lanka is left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan coming back in place of Munaf Patel. The team for the three-match one-day series will be announced later.
Yuvraj, after managing a half-century in the first Test at Galle against Sri Lanka, missed the next two matches on account of injury. Suresh Raina who took his place at number six slammed a hundred on debut and also guided the team home along with V.V.S. Laxman in the deciding Test at P. Sara Oval.
With Raina’s slot sealed, it will be difficult for the team management to find space in the top-heavy batting order for Yuvraj.
After 49 first-class games, Pujara boasts the highest average among active Indian batsmen. The 22-year-old has scored 3,925 runs at an average of 60.38. The selectors had so far kept him away stating most of his runs had come on docile tracks.
But Pujara’s recent exploits in Australia in the Emerging Players Tournament and the ability to score quickly, as seen in a few IPL games, could have turned things in his favour.
The squad will continue to have three seamers and three specialist spinners. Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha are to be retained. Zaheer was forced to miss the tour to Sri Lanka when his shoulder injury recurred. Having proved his match fitness in the ongoing Champions League, the veteran seamer will take his rightful place.
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