Dec 5, 2008

Sport - Cricket;Yuvraj in India's Test Squad

CHENNAI, India (AP) Yuvraj Singh's successive centuries in the limited-overs series against England last month earned him a recall to India's test squad Thursday. The England cricket team has announced it will resume its tour of India for the two-test series subject to its security recommendations being implemented, after returning home last week midway through the limited-overs series in the wake of deadly terrorists attacks in Mumbai.

Yuvraj, who was overlooked for the test series against Australia this year, is among the front-runners to fill the middle-order test slot vacated by the retirement of former captain Sourav Ganguly. Another possible candidate for Ganguly's spot is Subramaniam Badrinath, who is yet to play a test despite being in the 15-man squad for several matches, including the four-test series against Australia that India won 2-0.

Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha is the only other change to the squad and could make his test debut in place of retired captain and leg-spinner Anil Kumble. The England team will fly to India early next week from Abu Dhabi, where it is due travel to Chennai on Thursday.

While England is practicing in the United Arab Emirates, key officials will join security adviser Reg Dickason in India to ensure that the additional security arrangements at test venues Chennai and Mohali have been implemented. The first test is due to start Dec.

11 at Chennai, followed by the second test at Mohali from Dec. 19.

___ India squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Subramaniam Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha.

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