Tendulkar requests selectors not to include him in West Zone team

Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar had requested the West Zone selectors not to include him in the West Zone team for any of the Duleep Trophy matches to be played from next month.

The Saurashtra Cricket Association secretary and one of the West Zone selectors, Niranjan Shah, told PTI in Mumbai on Saturday that Tendulkar had requested him during the Rajkot one-dayer against Zimbabwe that he needed some rest before the home series against Australia.

"However, the other two Indian players from West Zone, Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, would play in turns from the third league match onwards," added Niranjan Shah.

The first foreign coach for the Indian team, John Wright of New Zealand too had requested the zonal selectors not to include any of the main Indian players in their respective teams as he wanted them to be fresh for the battles against the formidable Australians who would be here on February 7 to play three Test matches and five one-dayers apart from three three day games.