Sehwag

Calcutta: Virender Sehwag, who was rested in the last ODI (Indore, versus England), will return to the Team India XI in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. In all probability, the vice-captain is going to open with Robin Uthappa in the first of two day-night matches against Pakistan.

According to The Telegraph’s sources in the UAE capital, the out-of-form Mohammed Kaif will again sit out. He’s not in the XII shortlisted late on Monday evening and nobody expects him to get a call-up on Wednesday either.

Also out of contention are quicks Rudra Pratap Singh, whose confidence has taken a hit after the tour of Pakistan, and Munaf Patel. The toss-up, one understands, is between Ajit Agarkar and Yalaka Venugopal Rao.

The Indians, of course, take to this short series on an absolute high ? a 5-1 win over England. Then, earlier this year, Rahul Dravid’s team had beaten Pakistan 4-1 in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, sources have indicated that Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf is going to watch Tuesday’s face-off, which will mark Abu Dhabi’s debut as the newest centre for big-time cricket.

LIKELY INDIAN XI

Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yalaka Venugopal Rao/Ajit Agarkar, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar, Harbhajan Singh, Sreesanth