Yuvraj Singh has been recalled to the Indian squad for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka starting next month, after being dropped for the recently concluded Asia Cup.

The middle-order batsman had form and fitness worries in the lead-up to that tournament, but the national selectors have given him another lifeline by naming him in the 16-man squad.

Ishant Sharma, Suresh Raina and Sreesanth have also found their way back into the squad.

The selectors sprung a few more surprises, leaving out some notable performers from India's recent tours to the Caribbean, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, including Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik.

Two fast bowlers who fell out of the reckoning on those trips, Sreesanth and Ishant, were recalled despite an apparent lack of match practice and opportunity to regain form.

But India's dwindling fast bowling resources remains a considerable concern, apart from the team's fitness and fielding standards.

The selectors have opted for experience instead of placing faith in the newer crop of fast bowlers such as Ashok Dinda and Vinay Kumar, neither of whom made a big impression in Zimbabwe.

One man who has been rewarded for his performances on those tours, however, is Raina.

He scored a century in the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies and captained an under-strength squad for the tri-series in Zimbabwe.

His struggles against the short ball continued in the West Indies but he scored enough runs and performed well enough statistically to edge out players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for a middle-order spot.

The selection of a back-up wicketkeeper to captain MS Dhoni is also interesting as Bengal keeper Wriddhiman Saha finds a place in the squad.

Saha was a last-minute inclusion in the XI for the Nagpur Test against South Africa earlier this year following a freak injury to Rohit, but he played as a specialist batsman.

Karthik has featured more regularly in the limited-overs team and he made an impact in the Asia Cup final in Dambulla on Thursday, winning the Man-of-the-Match award for his half-century.

But Saha was named as Dhoni's understudy for this tour, though the prospects of him playing a Test remain unlikely unless Dhoni's injured.

Saha is the only player in this squad who's currently in the UK with the A team.

Though a couple of players have done well there, including Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, the selection committee has decided not to pick any new faces from there for Sri Lanka.

The squad features only three seamers, with Zaheer Khan leading the attack.

The spin trio includes Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha, who has been impressive in the shorter formats.

On their last Test visit to Sri Lanka, in 2008, India lost the series 2-1.

Squad: MS Dhoni (wk & capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, M Vijay, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Wriddhiman Saha (wk)