NEW DELHI — India named Yuvraj Singh in its squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka Friday, marking the all-rounder's return to international cricket following his cancer treatment. The dashing southpaw underwent chemotherapy in the United States before returning to India in April and was included in India's preliminary 30-man squad for the Sept. 18-Oct. 7 tournament in Sri Lanka. “We are very happy that Yuvraj Singh has been declared fit,” chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth told reporters in Mumbai. Singh was also named in the India's squad for the home series against New Zealand with matches on Sept. 8 (Visakhapatnam) and 11 (Chennai). “He is a very crucial factor. If he gets going, he can win matches single-handedly. Don't forget he was the Man of the Series in the 2007 (Twenty20) World Cup and the 2011 (50-over) World Cup,” Srikkanth said. “He fought his way back and we really appreciate the kind of effort put in by Yuvraj Singh. He will be a great factor and it's good to see him back in the team,” he added. Srikkanth said the five-member selection committee had held long discussions before agreeing on the squad. “We looked at a lot of factors, including ground conditions in Sri Lanka, before selecting the team. We've selected a well-balanced and powerful side which we think will win the tournament,” Srikkanth said. Seam bowler Laxmipathy Balaji, who has been a consistent performer in the Indian Premier League in the past few seasons, was also selected in the Twenty20 squad. He last played in a one-day series for India in 2009. Yuvraj has earned 37 Test caps but his career really flourished in the shorter formats where his swashbuckling batting and nagging left-arm spin have made him an automatic choice in India's 50-over and 20-over squads. “I feel like I'm going to play for India for the first time!” Singh wrote on Twitter. “When I was diagnosed with cancer I always thought in my heart that one day I will come back and play for India. I can't wait to step on the field and wave the Indian flag.” Yuvraj played a major role in putting the shortest form of the sport on the map when he blasted six sixes in one over off England's Stuart Broad at the inaugural World Cup in South Africa in 2007. Srikkanth also announced a 15-member squad, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for the two-Test series at home against New Zealand starting next month. Hyderabad hosts the first Test from Aug. 23, while the second match starts on Aug. 31 in Bangalore. India T20 squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, L. Balaji, Ashok Dinda, Rohit Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh and Manoj Tiwary. India Test team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha, Umesh Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Piyush Chawla, Ishant Sharma and Suresh Raina. — Agencies
