Yuvraj hits 208 on first-class return

Uppal: Yuvraj Singh marked his return to first-class cricket by converting his first-day 133 into a double-century on day two of the Duleep Trophy semi-final between North and Central Zone at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday.

In his first four-day outing since recovering from cancer, Yuvraj batted 241 deliveries for his 208 which included 33 fours and three sixes. His effort was the highest score of North Zone’s first innings of 451, and put the team in a strong position. Yuvraj was ninth out with the score at 441 when he drove a return catch for former India team-mate Murali Kartik. He fell one short of a career-best 209.

With England due to arrive in India next month for a four-Test series starting November 15 in Ahmedabad, Yuvraj appears to have put his name in the reckoning for selection with his strong innings. Since being named in India’s Twenty20 squad in August, Yuvraj has played six Twenty20 internationals in a row with a highest score of 34 and taken eight wickets at 11.87. He was voted the Man of the Match in India’s last match of the recent ICC World Twenty20, a one-run win over South Africa which failed to seal their progression into the semi-finals of the tournament for the third straight edition.

In his first domestic match since recovering from cancer, the allrounder hit a brisk double-century for Punjab in the Duleep Trophy.

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