Sachin Tendulkar was rested for first three one-dayers against England, as the national selectors announced a 15-member squad, which includes M Vijay of Tamil Nadu, in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Tendulkar had requested not to be included considering the hectic schedule ahead, besides the amount of cricket he has already played so far in the year.
"Considering the hectic schedule ahead and the amount of cricket he has already played this season, Sachin Tendulkar requested that he be rested for the first three ODIs. The selectors accepted his request," Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement, issued after the K Srikkanth-headed selection committee met.
The squad, barring the inclusion of young Tamil Nadu opener Vijay and Yusuf Pathan, in place of his younger brother Irfan, is almost the same that did duty under Mahendra Singh Dhoni and won the last ODI series it played in Sri Lanka. Praveen Kumar made way for Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma.
Virender Sehwag made a return to the team, as expected, while Gautam Gambhir, banned from playing in the fourth and final Test against Australia, beginning Thursday, was also included.
The first three matches in the best-of-seven series against England, who are to arrive in Mumbai on Thursday, will be held at Rajkot (November 14), Indore (Nov 17) and Kanpur (Nov 20).
Team: M S Dhoni (Capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, R P Singh, Virat Kohli and M Vijay.
