World Cup winners Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra are set for timely comebacks with the Indian team after being named in the Twenty20 international squad for January’s tour of Australia.
All-rounder Yuvraj, who battled cancer soon after helping India to the 50-over title in 2011, has not played internationally since the T20 World Cup final loss against Sri Lanka in April 2014.
Fast bowler Nehra’s absence has been even longer, having last turned out for India in the 2011 World Cup.
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Yuvraj and Nehra will be available for the three T20s set for late January, though they were not included in the one-day international squad which will play Australia in five matches beginning January 12.
Nevertheless, much of the focus will be on T20 games, with India’s chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil saying: “Yuvraj has always been special. The selectors are happy and captain (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) is happy to have him back.”
He added: “We will need experienced players in the T20 World Cup. The Australia tour (is the) perfect chance to give them a shot. Ashish Nehra is a consistent performer in T20 format. We selectors feel he will be useful in the team.”
With India set to host the next edition of the T20 World Cup in March and April 2016, the duo’s selection for the Australia tour will come as a big boost, especially for Yuvraj who helped the side to victory at the inaugural tournament in 2007.
During that same campaign in South Africa, Yuvraj achieved the rare feat of smashing six sixes in the same over – off England paceman Stuart Broad – and the left-hander also proved a key player at the 2011 World Cup.
Indian Premier League star Suresh Raina was a surprise exclusion from the ODI squad for the Australia tour, while Mohammed Shami is due to make his return from a knee injury after being picked for both formats.
Wel done punjab super efforts 2 get into knockouts.super knock back to back @YUVSTRONG12 @mandeeps12 # Siddana s consistency #punjabiyat
— Harbhajan Singh (@harbhajan_singh) December 18, 2015
Patil said: “We have not written any player off – those who don’t make a cut in these two teams. I’m not naming (names) but this opportunity that we have to tour Australia, we want to make the best use of it.”
India’s performance in the limited-overs formats has taken some big hits in 2015, most recently when visitors South Africa emerged victors in both the T20 and ODI series.
Earlier in the year, India lost an ODI series 2-1 to Bangladesh before drawing 1-1 in an away series against Zimbabwe.
In a further revelation on Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed Dhoni would remain captain until the end of the T20 World Cup, a move that could pave the way for Test skipper Virat Kohli to take overall charge in the future.
