India will field a rare full-strength team for the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka beginning July 21 with fit-again seniors Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan returning to the 15-member squad, announced here Wednesday.
Sachin Tendulkar has opted out of the tour, that includes five ODIs and one T-20 match. Tendulkar has played only two ODI series since the 2011 World Cup, and selection committee chief Kris Srikkanth said Tendulkar had requested time away from the game.
“He is spacing it out very well... picking only those series that he wants to play,” Srikkanth said.
India last played an international in March: the Asia Cup in Bangladesh — but all national players were then involved in IPL. Sehwag missed the Asia Cup due to back spasms and Zaheer was also advised rest for that tour.