Strauss rested for Bangladesh tour

Captain Andrew Strauss has been rested for England's forthcoming tour of Bangladesh, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday.

Current vice-captain Alastair Cook will lead a 16-man squad for the Test and One-day series in Bangladesh while Paul Collingwood will skipper the side in two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Bowler James Anderson has also been rested so that he can receive treatment on a recurring knee injury before the World Twenty20 tournament in West Indies in April.

"Andrew Strauss has provided outstanding leadership for the team in both forms of the game over the past 12 months and the selectors feel it is important that he takes a break ahead of an extremely busy programme of international cricket leading up to and including the Ashes series in Australia and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011," National Selector Geoff Miller said.

Three uncapped players get the chance to stake their claims with Yorkshire pace bowler Ajmal Shahzad, Kent off-spinner James Tredwell and Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry all included in the Test squad.

England, who on Sunday were beaten heavily by South Africa in Johannesburg to draw the Test series 1-1, depart for the UAE on February 13.

The squads:

One-day: Alastair Cook (captain), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Joe Denly, Eoin Morgan, Matthew Prior, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Ryan Sidebottom, Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright.

Test squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Michael Carberry, Paul Collingwood, Steven Davies, Graham Onions, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Matthew Prior, Ajmal Shahzad, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright.