Irfan Pathan must be given a long rope: Akram

"He only needs a longer run to get his confidence back. I think Pathan is a better choice than any other all-rounder in India. He has improved a lot. I think it's important for Pathan and India that they need somebody at number seven or eight who can bowl and bat and this guy has got the ability," Akram told espnstar.Com from London.

Pathan made the cut after Vinay Kumar pulled out of the Lankan series due to shoulder injury. He was dropped from the national side after a not-so-impressive run with the ball in Australia and in the Asia Cup where he ended with only 11 wickets from seven games.

 

Akram, meanwhile, is itching to see Yuvraj Singh back on the field.

"He is a very strong man, he's been through a lot and I think he'll be fine. Once Yuvraj starts playing he might not do well in one or two games, but once he gets his fitness back, he'll be Yuvraj of the old. I can't wait to see him," he said.

Yuvraj, who staged a brave recovery from germ-cell cancer, has been named in a 30-man preliminary squad for the World Twenty20 to be played in Sri Lanka from September 18 to October 7. (MORE)