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Tendulkar in, Sehwag out

Image: Sachin Tendulkar is without a century since last March

Sachin Tendulkar is included in a 15-man India squad for the Asia Cup but Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan have been rested.

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Kohli named vice-captain for India's Asia Cup campaign

Sachin Tendulkar has been included in India's squad for the Asia Cup. Veteran batsman Tendulkar, stuck on 99 international centuries for almost a year, is part of a 15-man squad. But there is no place for opener Virender Sehwag, who has been rested after a run of poor form during India's tour of Australia. In Sehwag's absence, Virat Kohli steps up to the vice-captaincy. Seamers Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav are also rested, while there is no place for spinner Pragyan Ojha. All-rounder Yusuf Pathan and fast bowler Ashok Dinda are both recalled.

Future

"We had productive discussions with the team management. We wanted to have a clear understanding by talking to people in Australia and we have everything sorted out," said India's selection chief Kris Srikkanth. "Unfortunately, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan have been asked to take rest by the physiotherapist. It is an honest truth... there is a medical report from the physiotherapist and we went by the report. "They have injuries and it is purely on injury grounds that both have been rested." On Kohli's leadership role, Srikkanth added: "I think we also have to start thinking forward, from a futuristic point of view. "I think the selection committee and the board feel that Virat Kohli could be a good future captaincy material. Time has also come to groom youngsters." The Asia Cup, featuring Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, takes place from March 11-22 in Dhaka. India squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virat Kohli (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Manoj Tiwary, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Rahul Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Ashok Dinda

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