Pujara Named in Test Squad as Yuvraj misses out

22-year-old batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been named in India's Test squad to play Australia in two matches in Chandigarh and Bangalore next month.

Yuvraj Singh, who lost his place in the middle order to Suresh Raina on India's recent tour of Sri Lanka, has been omitted from the squad, which also sees quick bowlers Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan handed recalls.

Sreesanth missed the tour of Sri Lanka with a knee injury while Zaheer missed out due to a shoulder problem and their return gives the bowling added experience. Their recalls mean there is no place in the squad for Abhimanyu Mithun, who made his debut in Sri Lanka having flown in as a replacement for Zaheer.

Saurashtra batsman Pujara has scored 3,925 runs in 49 first-class matches at an average of 60.38, including an unbeaten 302 against Orissa in the 2008/9 Ranji Trophy, which came as one of three triples in the space of a month - the other two being scored for the Saurashtra Under-22s.

In 2001, he scored 306 not out for Saurashtra Under-14s against Baroda Under-14s.

The contest, which gets underway on 1st October, pits India, the side at the top of the ICC rankings for Test teams, against an Australian side which could only draw 1-1 with Pakistan in England earlier this year.

They begin with a three-day tour match in Chandigarh on Saturday (25th September) and follow the Test series with three One-Day Internationals.

India Test squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, VVS Laxman, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Sachin Tendulkar, Murali Vijay,