Yuvraj Singh

London: Yuvraj Singh, one learns, isn’t out of the frame for a place in the XI for the first Test against England.

According to The Telegraph’s sources, the more experienced V.V.S. Laxman is ahead in the race for a middle-order berth, but Yuvraj isn’t short on support.

“He’s in the picture, but Laxman’s chances look much better,” one of the sources pointed out on Tuesday evening.

The Test begins on Thursday.

Apparently, the Indians will employ a 3-1 attack. Rudra Pratap Singh looks set to be the third new-ball bowler, after Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth. Anil Kumble is going to be the lone specialist spinner.

The XI is likely to be: Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Laxman/Yuvraj, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kumble, Zaheer, Sreesanth, RP.

Meanwhile, ODI specialist Ajit Agarkar was seen sweating it out during the day’s nets.

“Wife Fatima’s folks are here and I’d told Rahul I’d be available if they wanted me at nets... There’s nothing more to my being present,” he said.

Agarkar, it may be recalled, cracked a hundred during the last India-England Test at Lord’s — in the summer of 2002. It was in a losing cause, though.