Yuvraj Fitness Very Important-said Dhoni

Fitness will be the key to cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh selection to the Indian team for a home Test series against England next month, captain M S Dhoni said. 

We have to assess whether Yuvraj is ready to field for 2 days, said Dhoni when asked whether the skilful all-rounder would be picked for the four-Test series starting in Ahmadabad on November 15. 

Yuvraj Singh, who has not played Test cricket since last November, was treated for a rare germ-cell cancer between his lungs in the U S A earlier this year. 

The 30-year-old returned after chemotherapy treatment in April and played in the recent World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. He also cracked a double-century in a domestic 4-day game in Hyderabad this month.
Yuvraj has performed impressively in the ongoing three-day match against England in Mumbai, scoring a half-century and taking two wickets for India 'A'.

It is very difficult for me to comment on his fitness sitting over here. We have to understand that 5-day format has its own doubts unlike ODIs or T20s, Dhoni was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.

In ODIs, you know that you have to field for 50 overs only, while in Test cricket there may be a situation that a team might bat for one-and-a-half to 2 days.

Having said that it is Yuvraj who is the best judge about how he is feeling. He has played fairly a few domestic games now and it is up to him to reproduce on his game. Yuvraj has played 37 Tests since his international debut in 2000, scoring 1,775 runs at an average of 34.80 with 3 centuries. He was also named man of the tournament in India's 50-over World Cup triumph last year.

England India 2012 Schedule

England tour to India 2012 and 2013 cricket schedule announced. India vs England 2012-13 is an international bilateral series to be organized by India. England tour of India 2012 will consist of four Tests, two Twenty20 and five ODI matches to be hosted by India in Nov 2012-Jan 2013. The India vs England 2012-13 bilateral series will comes to end on Jan 27, 2013.


TEST SERIES
TEST DATE LOCAL TIME GMT M-DETAILS VENUE
1st Test Nov-15-12 09:30 04:00 Ind vs Eng Ahmedabad
2nd Test Nov-23-12 09:30 04:00 Ind vs Eng Mumbai
3rd Test Dec-05-12 09:30 04:00 Ind vs Eng Kolkata
4th Test Dec-13-12 09:30 04:00 Ind vs Eng Nagpur

T20 SERIES
T20 DATE LOCAL TIME GMT M-DETAILS VENUE
1stT20 DEC-20-12 20:00 14:30 Ind vs Eng Pune
2ndT20 DEC-22-12 20.:00 14:30 Ind vs Eng Mumbai

ODI SERIES
ODI DATE LOCAL TIME GMT M-DETAILS VENUE
1st JAN-11-13 14:30 09:00 Ind vs Eng Rajkot
2nd JAN-15-13 14:30 09:00 Ind vs Eng Kochi
3rd JAN-19-13 14:30 09:00 Ind vs Eng Ranchi
4th JAN-23-13 14:30 09:00 Ind vs Eng Mohali
5th JAN-27-13 14:30 09:00 Ind vs Eng Dharmasala

Pietersen has been added to Ind Series


London: Kevin Pietersen has been added to England test squad for next month tour to India.

The decision to recall the South African-born batsman was made after he met Coach Andy Flower, skipper Alastair Cook and other senior players and main members of England's management team this week.

We were keen Kevin Pietersen should hold a series of opposite meetings with team management and senior players before the test squad depart for the UAE and India next week, England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Hugh Morris said in a report on Thursday.

The meetings were positive and cordial and all outstanding issues have been resolved. All the England players and managing are now keen to draw a line below this matter and totally focus on the cricketing challenge that lays ahead in India.

Pietersen, 32, who averages 49.48 from 88 tests, was dropped for the 3rd and last test against South Africa at Lord's in August after admitting sending provoking texts to the opposite players.

But he denied allegation he had told them how to dismiss former captain Andrew Strauss, who retire from all cricket after South Africa won the test series 2-0.Pietersen used his Twitter account to express his delight at being back in the England squad.

The happiest days of my career have been playing cricket for England, Pietersen said. Long may that continue?"ECB Team selector Geoff Miller said it would be fine to have an extra batsman in the squad, particularly as Ian Bell was due to return home for the birth of his child midway during the tour of India.

We are happy to welcome a player of Kevin's proven international caliber back into the squad for such a Main Test Series, said Miller’s we anticipate Ian Bell will return home for the birth of his 1st child around the time of the 2nd test in Mumbai, the team will benefit from having an extra batsman in the squad.

Wonderful Double Century Yuvraj Singh

New Delhi-Cancer survivor Yuvraj Singh smashed 208 on his return to first-class cricket to stake a claim on Monday in Indian team for next month's Test series against England.

The left-hander hit 33 fours and 3 sixes for North Zone before being dismissed on the 2nd day of the 4-day Duleep Trophy semi-final against middle Zone in Hyderabad.

Yuvraj, 30, who was judged man of the match in India's 50-over World Cup triumph, last year, was treat for a rare germ-cell cancer between his lungs in the United States earlier this year. He return after energy-sapping chemotherapy treatment in April and by August had been fast-tracked into the Indian team for the recent World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.Yuvraj ended the tournament with 66 runs in 4 innings and claimed 8 wickets in 5 matches, the 2nd highest among Indian bowlers after seamier Lakshmipathy Balaji's 9 wickets.

India, the 2007 champions, won 4 of their 5 matches but failed to reach the semi-finals of the event finally won by the West Indies. Yuvraj  Singh double-century is sure to put him in line for a recall when the 4-Test series against England starts in Ahmadabad on November 15.

He has not played Test cricket since November last year when he turned out for 2 matches against the touring West Indies. Yuvraj has played 37 Tests since his international debut in 2000, scoring 1,775 runs at an average of 34.80 with 3 centuries. He has also claimed 9 Test wickets with his left-arm spin Bowler.