NEW DELHI (AFP)
Sachin Tendulkar has been rested for the first three matches of the forthcoming one-day series against Zimbabwe.

"Tendulkar has not been included in the team so that he can recover from a minor knee problem," said Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah.

Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in one-day history, with 11,069 runs in 286 matches, and a record 31 centuries.

Javagal Srinath is also absent from the 14-member squad, as he had opted out of the one-day series. "Srinath has requested the selectors not to consider him for the one-day series against Zimbabwe," said Shah.

Wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta, currently playing in the second and final Test against Zimbabwe, has been replaced by Ajay Ratra.

The first one-dayer against Zimbabwe will be played on March 7 at Faridabad in the northern Indian state of Haryana.

Indian squad Sourav Ganguly (capt), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Sanjay Bangar, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Ratra (wk), Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Tinu Yohannan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Sarandeep Singh.

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