New Delhi, Jun 7 (UNI) National selectors today dropped all rounders Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan, while Sachin Tendulkar was rested from the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka starting next week.
Tendulkar had requested the BCCI not to consider him for the four-nation tournament saying that he needed to be with his family, and the selectors through their decision accepted the master blaster's request.
''Tendulkar requested the board not to consider him for the Asia Cup as he wanted to spend time with his children in view of the hectic cricket season ahead,'' BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni would lead the Indian side in four nation tournament involving Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh in Sri Lanka from June 15 to 24.
Continuous disappointing performances from Singh and Pathan left the selectors with no option but to axe them as they laid stress on fitness and form of the players.
Mumbai Indian's 20-year-old left-hand batsman Saurabh Tiwary was rewarded for his brilliant performance in the IPL-3 as he became the lone new face in the team. While Ashok Dinda, Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha were given another chance in the team.
Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik and leg-spinner Amit Mishra failed to get berths in the Asia Cup squad.
Delhi's prolific batsman Virender Sehwag, who was out due to a shoulder injury and also missed ICC Twenty20 World Cup, made his return to the team.
''A lot of stress was given on the feilding and fitness of the players. We have gone through the record of last one year and put lot of stress on it. In recent past, we lost some matches or struggled in some because of poor fielding,'' chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth told reporters.
Srikkanth said that consistency also played a significant role in team selection.
''We have given lot of stress on consistent performance. Apart from the seniors, we have blooded some youngsters as well so that they know what international cricket is all about,'' he noted.
Skipper Dhoni also gave his inputs during the meeting, he added.
Seniors, who were rested during the tri-series in Zimbabwe - pacer Zaheer Khan, opener Gautam Gambhir and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh - were also included in the team.
Lanky medium pacer Ishant Sharma continued to evade selector's look.
Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar and Uttar Pradesh medium pacer Sudeep Tyagi who played against South Africa in a home series, also did not find favour from selectors.
Indian squad for Asia Cup 2010: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag (vice-capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda, Ravichandran Ashwin, Saurabh Tiwary.
