Sehwag, Zaheer set to return for Sri Lanka tour

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The fit-again duo of opening batsman Virender Sehwag and pacer Zaheer Khan is all set to return to the Indian squad after missing the Asia Cup when the selectors meet here on Wednesday to choose the side for the upcoming cricket tour of Sri Lanka.

The duo, along with Zaheer's pace understudy Umesh Yadav, sat out of the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in March on fitness grounds.

They were also not part of the squad for the one-off Twenty 20 International in South Africa on March 30 which was India's last international engagement.

With these three players expected to be available for selection, the squad for the Lanka tour -- comprising only One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 ties -- is set to see some changes from the side which flopped in the Asia Cup and lost the rain-hit T20 match to the hosts in Johannesburg by D/L method.

With Sehwag back in action, one of the other middle order batsmen from the Asia Cup squad will have to be sacrificed and Bengal's Manoj Tiwary could be the man to make way for the former's return.

It's not clear whether Tendulkar, who had set the fabulous record of 100 international hundreds in the previous 50-over competition that India took part in, is available for the Lanka tour following his nomination as a Rajya Sabha member.

According to selection committee sources, things would become clear just before the five-member team sits down to choose the touring squad when the Cricket Board's convener Sanjay Jagdale apprises them about the availability and fitness concerns, if any, of players in contention.

If by any chance Tendulkar decides to opt out of what is widely perceived to be a low-key series commencing on July 21, Ajinkya Rahane is the man most likely to be named as the third opener after Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.