NEW DELHI, Feb 21: Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh has been ruled out of the opening Test against England in Nagpur from March 1 because of a hamstring injury, a board official announced on Tuesday.
“Yuvraj will not play in the first Test but Harbhajan Singh has been declared fit for selection,” Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Niranjan Shah told reporters.
In-form Yuvraj was man of the series in the recent five-match one-day series in Pakistan which off-spinner Harbhajan missed because of a finger injury.
Yuvraj was injured during an unbeaten knock of 107 in the last match in Karachi on Sunday, with India winning the series 4-1.
The stylish left-hander hit 344 runs in the one-dayers at an average of 172.
Former skipper Saurav Ganguly, who has been out of recent one-dayers and struggling to keep his place for Tests, is likely to retain his spot in the middle-order for the Tests against England.
The fitness of opener Virender Sehwag, who retired along with Harbhajan midway into the Pakistan one-day series because of a shoulder injury, will be decided on Wednesday for his place in the side.
“The physio has given him some injections. We will be waiting until tomorrow,” Shah added.
The other venues for the Test series are Mohali (March 9-13) and Mumbai (March 18-22). The Tests will be followed by a seven-match one-day series with the first one starting in New Delhi on March 28.—Agencies
