(BBC) Batsman Yuvraj Singh has been dropped from India’s Test squad for their home series against Australia in October.
The 28-year-old missed the final two Tests of India’s tour of Sri Lanka and has been replaced by Cheteshwar Pujara, who has yet to appear for his country. Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth have returned from shoulder and knee injuries respectively to boost the attack.
The first Test begins in Mohali on 1 October with the second scheduled for Bangalore on 9 October.
“Pujara is a very good player, he has done really well in the India A series,” stated India selection committee chief Krish Srikkanth.
“You will have to give credit to domestic performance and A series and everything else.”
Pujara, 22, has previously represented India Under-19s and finished as top-scorer in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup.
Left-hander Yuvraj, who has suffered a string of injuries over the past year, scored a half-century in the opening Test of India’s tour of Sri Lanka in July but was then left for the following two matches in favour of Suresh Raina.
Yuvraj, who briefly interested Middlesex as a possible signing earlier in 2010, famously hit England’s Stuart Broad for six sixes during one over of the 2007 World Twenty20.
“I don’t think there is any surprise inclusion or surprise exclusion. It was the sheer weight of performance, talent and of course fitness that was taken into account,” said Srikkanth.
The two sides will contest a three-match one-day series after their Test encounters.
India Test squad to face Australia: MS Dhoni (c), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, M.Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Sreesanth, Amit Mishra.
