Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hailed victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final at Dambulla as an "ideal reflection" of his side's efforts in the tournament.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hailed victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final at Dambulla as an "ideal reflection" of his side's efforts in the tournament.
India's bowlers capitalised on an impressive batting performance - that saw them post a total of 268 for six - to record an emphatic 81-run win and secure the nation's first Asia Cup trophy in 15 years.
"Its an ideal reflection," Dhoni said. "The guys were putting in a lot of effort, not only in terms of fitness but skills as well and its good that we've won the Asia Cup after a long time. I'm really happy with the performance over here.
"I think we got the start that was needed. The batsmen got the start, but couldn't really convert that into big innings, but still we were happy to get 268."
And their batting was just a prelude to a scintillating show in the field, with the Indian pacemen Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan shredding the Sri Lankan top order within the first 16 overs as they eventually fell to 187 all out.
"I know my bowlers very well," Dhoni added. "The fast bowlers really bowled well. I knew if we could get a few early wickets then we could put pressure on the Sri Lankan batting.
"We wanted to get (Tillakaratne) Dilshan out early because even if he stays for two or three overs he can just take 30-40 runs off you, so it was really good that we got him in the first over. The kind of bowling shown by Zaheer and Ashish was one of the best spells I have seen in these conditions."
Despite a disappointing loss in the dead-rubber tie two days ago against Sri Lanka, Dhoni insisted the final was all that mattered to his side.
He said: "It is a big game, and whatever you have done to get to the final, it doesn't make a difference anymore. Because if you don't win that final you're always talked about as the team that did not really do well, so it was an important win for us."
Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara admitted the difference lay in kind of openings both sides had to their respective innings.
He said: "The difference was in the first 15 overs, the way we bowled and the way they did, and also the helpful conditions. I think losing four wickets in the top order was not a great way to start."
The Sri Lankan keeper also underlined the lack of aggression during their run chase, saying : "I think 269 was probably a chaseable total. I think a bit more application and being a bit more tight in our batting and having a little more of an attacking mindset would have seen us through."
He added: "The Indian bowlers hit the areas pretty well with some good lines and lengths and they let the ball do the rest. We weren't really up to the mark from the start and unfortunately succumbed."
Showing posts with label asia cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label asia cup. Show all posts
Friday, June 25, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Afridi Shines as a Leader in Asia Cup
Shahid Afridi is looking more responsible and Pakistan badly needs a true leader now, feels Wasim Akram.
As former players, we have more often than not criticized Pakistan cricket. But come the Asia Cup, and after a long time, I can see a few positives. Skipper Shahid Afridi’s 76-ball 109 run against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup opener probably hints at good things to come.
After a long time, I saw Afridi playing a responsible innings. Even if it came in a losing cause, the knock was full of character. This innings would have put a lot confidence in Afridi as a leader. It is important for Pakistan to have a man who can lead from the front.
Making an international return after a year, Shoaib Akhtar also made an impressive comeback. There were many questions over his return. Many felt that the controversial speedster won’t mend his undisciplined ways, but I am happy that Akhtar has proved the critics wrong.
Akhtar bowled intelligently to complete his quota of 10 overs, bagging three wickets. The 35-year-old pacer not only justified the trust laid on him by the captain but also won the hearts of many of his fans. But as (coach) Waqar (Younis) pointed out, this is not the best we have seen of him. Akhtar has to be fit and consistent and that will help the team
With the positives, came a few lapses as well. The team looked out of practice and that reflected in the running between the wickets. Afridi was involved in two run outs with the Akmal brothers. This surely was a factor between winning and losing. But, I am sure the running between wickets will surely improve once the team plays a few matches.
Talking about the two youngsters who made their debut on Tuesday, I must admit that opener Shahzaib Hasan did not impress me. I saw him in the 2009 T20 World Cup and felt the 20-year-old needed a little more time. But I had a chat with Afridi before the team left for Lanka and he told me that he had a lot of faith in Shahzaib. So I guess it’s the captains’ confidence on a particular player that should matter.
If Pakistan lost a close match against the Lankans, it was because of Lasith Malinga. The guy is exceptional and I have been saying for the last two years that he is the best bowler in all forms of the game. Malinga is quick, swings the ball and has an action which is extremely difficult to pick. The 26-year-old is at times unplayable and will only get better.
Another player who made the difference was Angelo Mathews. His unbeaten 55 runs were responsible for Lanka managing a respectable 242 for 9 in 50 overs. I have worked with Mathews during my stint with IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders. He needs to improve on the bowling front but is certainly a bright prospect for the island nation. The 23-year-old player has age on his side and will certainly improve.
Asia Cup is not a very long tournament and hence it becomes very important for teams to get their act together from the start. India will certainly miss their match-winner, Yuvraj Singh, but it is always wise to rest an unfit player. With the big guns back, India have enough firepower and Bangladesh got a taste of this. I am looking forward to Saturday’s Indo-Pak clash. May the better team win!
As former players, we have more often than not criticized Pakistan cricket. But come the Asia Cup, and after a long time, I can see a few positives. Skipper Shahid Afridi’s 76-ball 109 run against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup opener probably hints at good things to come.
After a long time, I saw Afridi playing a responsible innings. Even if it came in a losing cause, the knock was full of character. This innings would have put a lot confidence in Afridi as a leader. It is important for Pakistan to have a man who can lead from the front.
Making an international return after a year, Shoaib Akhtar also made an impressive comeback. There were many questions over his return. Many felt that the controversial speedster won’t mend his undisciplined ways, but I am happy that Akhtar has proved the critics wrong.
Akhtar bowled intelligently to complete his quota of 10 overs, bagging three wickets. The 35-year-old pacer not only justified the trust laid on him by the captain but also won the hearts of many of his fans. But as (coach) Waqar (Younis) pointed out, this is not the best we have seen of him. Akhtar has to be fit and consistent and that will help the team
With the positives, came a few lapses as well. The team looked out of practice and that reflected in the running between the wickets. Afridi was involved in two run outs with the Akmal brothers. This surely was a factor between winning and losing. But, I am sure the running between wickets will surely improve once the team plays a few matches.
Talking about the two youngsters who made their debut on Tuesday, I must admit that opener Shahzaib Hasan did not impress me. I saw him in the 2009 T20 World Cup and felt the 20-year-old needed a little more time. But I had a chat with Afridi before the team left for Lanka and he told me that he had a lot of faith in Shahzaib. So I guess it’s the captains’ confidence on a particular player that should matter.
If Pakistan lost a close match against the Lankans, it was because of Lasith Malinga. The guy is exceptional and I have been saying for the last two years that he is the best bowler in all forms of the game. Malinga is quick, swings the ball and has an action which is extremely difficult to pick. The 26-year-old is at times unplayable and will only get better.
Another player who made the difference was Angelo Mathews. His unbeaten 55 runs were responsible for Lanka managing a respectable 242 for 9 in 50 overs. I have worked with Mathews during my stint with IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders. He needs to improve on the bowling front but is certainly a bright prospect for the island nation. The 23-year-old player has age on his side and will certainly improve.
Asia Cup is not a very long tournament and hence it becomes very important for teams to get their act together from the start. India will certainly miss their match-winner, Yuvraj Singh, but it is always wise to rest an unfit player. With the big guns back, India have enough firepower and Bangladesh got a taste of this. I am looking forward to Saturday’s Indo-Pak clash. May the better team win!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
India Won the Match Against Bangladesh
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised opening batsman Gautam Gambhir but said it were the spinners who actually scripted the six-wicket win over Bangladesh on a low and slow Dambulla.
"Spinners won it for us. It is 200 per cent difficult to bat under lights here. Gautam provided a decent start. When he gets a start he normally goes on to get a big one. It is always good to get a bonus point if we can," Dhoni said after the match.
Gambhir was adjudged man of the match for his 82 that came off 101 balls, riding on which India achieved the 168-run target.
However, it was a magic spell of four for six by part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag that helped India bundle out Bangladesh for a meagre 167.
Dhoni also expressed satisfaction about the overall performance of the team.
"(It's) well of course, if you see most of the senior players they did well, most of them bowled really well. As the game progressed it became really difficult. Good that we batted for half an hour before the break," he said.
Meanwhile, his Bangladesh counterpart Shakib Al Hasan admitted that losing some quick wickets at the end of the innings ultimately did them in.
"Losing all those wickets in the end was the turning point. Batting was not that difficult on this pitch. After a long time the fast bowlers did well, and that's good for them.
We are up for the remaining games," he said.
Gambhir, who went through a bad patch during the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, was happy to recapture his touch.
"It was only at the T20 World Cup that I did not do well, there has been a lot of talk about my form. This was a perfect pitch for me to come back on. It was a wicket where you had to graft," he said.
"If Bangladesh had got 240-260 it would have been difficult. After the start they got we did not think we could keep them down to 160. All the bowlers did well," Gambhir added.
"Spinners won it for us. It is 200 per cent difficult to bat under lights here. Gautam provided a decent start. When he gets a start he normally goes on to get a big one. It is always good to get a bonus point if we can," Dhoni said after the match.
Gambhir was adjudged man of the match for his 82 that came off 101 balls, riding on which India achieved the 168-run target.
However, it was a magic spell of four for six by part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag that helped India bundle out Bangladesh for a meagre 167.
Dhoni also expressed satisfaction about the overall performance of the team.
"(It's) well of course, if you see most of the senior players they did well, most of them bowled really well. As the game progressed it became really difficult. Good that we batted for half an hour before the break," he said.
Meanwhile, his Bangladesh counterpart Shakib Al Hasan admitted that losing some quick wickets at the end of the innings ultimately did them in.
"Losing all those wickets in the end was the turning point. Batting was not that difficult on this pitch. After a long time the fast bowlers did well, and that's good for them.
We are up for the remaining games," he said.
Gambhir, who went through a bad patch during the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, was happy to recapture his touch.
"It was only at the T20 World Cup that I did not do well, there has been a lot of talk about my form. This was a perfect pitch for me to come back on. It was a wicket where you had to graft," he said.
"If Bangladesh had got 240-260 it would have been difficult. After the start they got we did not think we could keep them down to 160. All the bowlers did well," Gambhir added.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sachin Tendulkar Wants To Play At World Cup Final's
Arguably the most accomplished batsman of contemporary times, Sachin Tendulkar still has unfulfilled dreams, one of them being to win the World Cup next year.
Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in the Test and one-day format of the game, hopes to play in the final of the World Cup when it is jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh early next year.
"As far as the World Cup is concerned it is a process. We don't want to jump to the 50th floor straight away, we must start on the ground floor," he said.
"We must take it step-by-step but to get there would be a fascinating journey. It is our dream, not just mine but the entire nation, to get there. To play the final in Mumbai is something you can only dream of and everything has to come together," he added.
Tendulkar said if India played to their potential, there was a good chance of being in the finals of the event.
"I think we can do something we have been longing to do for quite some time," he said.
Part of the Test side which is currently the world number one in ICC rankings, Tendulkar said the tough part was not to get there but would be to maintain it.
"To be number one is special, it was our dream and our target to get to the number one spot in Test cricket," he said.
"We have had a good run in the last 20 months. Everyone wants to be number one and we cannot relax because there are other countries who want to be number one. It means a lot to us," he added.
The 37-year-old once again parried queries on his future maintaining that he would quit the moment he felt that he had stopped enjoying his game.
"I want to play for as long as possible and as long as I have the desire and the hunger I will carry on," he was quoted as saying by 'Cricinfo'.
"The day I do not want to get out of bed and do anything then I know it will be time to go in another direction," he added.
Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in the Test and one-day format of the game, hopes to play in the final of the World Cup when it is jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh early next year.
"As far as the World Cup is concerned it is a process. We don't want to jump to the 50th floor straight away, we must start on the ground floor," he said.
"We must take it step-by-step but to get there would be a fascinating journey. It is our dream, not just mine but the entire nation, to get there. To play the final in Mumbai is something you can only dream of and everything has to come together," he added.
Tendulkar said if India played to their potential, there was a good chance of being in the finals of the event.
"I think we can do something we have been longing to do for quite some time," he said.
Part of the Test side which is currently the world number one in ICC rankings, Tendulkar said the tough part was not to get there but would be to maintain it.
"To be number one is special, it was our dream and our target to get to the number one spot in Test cricket," he said.
"We have had a good run in the last 20 months. Everyone wants to be number one and we cannot relax because there are other countries who want to be number one. It means a lot to us," he added.
The 37-year-old once again parried queries on his future maintaining that he would quit the moment he felt that he had stopped enjoying his game.
"I want to play for as long as possible and as long as I have the desire and the hunger I will carry on," he was quoted as saying by 'Cricinfo'.
"The day I do not want to get out of bed and do anything then I know it will be time to go in another direction," he added.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
India Team To break the jinx
India get a chance to make amends for recent debacles, climb up the ODI rankings and break a 15-year jinx in the Asia Cup which takes off on Tuesday with home favourites Sri Lanka facing the ever-so-unpredictable Pakistan in the opening match.
Four-time champions India, who come here after twin debacles in the Twenty20 World Cup and the recent tri-series in Zimbabwe, last won the title 15 years ago in the United Arab Emirates and will open their campaign on June 16 against Bangladesh.
Before that, with a hat-trick of titles in sight, Sri Lanka would look to exploit the home conditions against Pakistan at the Rangiri Dambulla ground on Tuesday.
Considering the fact that Sri Lanka won the title in the previous two editions, the hosts are slight favourites over the others in the four-nation tournament.
The tournament opener between Sri Lanka and Pakistan holds promise as on paper both the teams are equally matched in terms of potential, though the buoyant hosts have the more experienced players, who have a reputation of being devastating in their own backyard.
The inclusion of wily off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who recovered from an injury sustained during the Twenty20 World Cup, has strengthened the Kumar Sangakkara-led Sri Lankan side.
Even though both Sri Lanka and Pakistan made it to the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, the hosts will draw confidence from their recent tri-series victory in Zimbabwe.
Like India, Sri Lanka too had fielded a second string team in Zimbabwe, but the Lankan young guns rose to the occasion to come out triumphant in the tri-series.
What would be a morale-booster for Sri Lanka is dashing Tillakratne Dilshan's return to form.
Leading a young side in the tri-series, Dilshan made a rollicking return to form with a delectable century in the title clash against hosts Zimbabwe.
To add to it, Sri Lanka would be bolstered by the return of regular skipper Sangakkara and senior batsman Mahela Jayawardene, who has been in sublime form this season.
If Dilshan and Jayawardene combine well at the top of the order, it could spell trouble for Pakistan who had last won the title in 2000 in Bangladesh.
The 21-year-old Angelo Mathews will be another Sri Lankan to watch out for over the next two weeks as the quality all-rounder seeks to prove his supremacy in the biennial event.
Mathews has the ability to turn the match on its head with either bat or ball, which reflected in his performances over the last eight months.
However, the likes of Thilina Kandamby and Thilan Samaraweera will be under little pressure to perform, especially after their below-par performance in Zimbabwe.
What might work wonders for the Lankans in the tournament is the presence of a three-pronged varied spin attack in Muralitharan, Suraj Randiv and Rangana Herath in the bowler-friendly Dambulla wicket.
Pakistan, on the other hand, have this uncanny knack of coming back stronger from everycontroversy they stumble upon.
However, what remains to be seen is the chemistry between newly-appointed captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis.
It will be a test of character for Afridi to unite the team which has a history of dressing room problems and the return of former captain Shoaib Malik, seen as a trouble maker, will only make his job difficult.
The tournament is also seen as a last-gasp chance for veteran Shoaib Akhtar to revive his chequered career after the maverick fast bowler was included in the squad along with controversial pace colleague Mohammad Asif.
The talismanic Akhtar, who can hurl the ball at speeds over 150 kmph when in his elements, returns to international cricket after a long hiatus, forced by injuries and disciplinary issues.
But the Afridi-led Pakistan can never be written off as they have the potential to bounce back like wounded tigers when they are pushed to the wall.
Though Afridi lamented that he was not given the right team for the Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan came up with stunning performances to make it to the last four stage in the Caribbean.
The Pakistan team have exciting batsmen in Akmal brothers -- Kamran and Umar, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Malik, who recently tied the know with Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza.
Even though Pakistan have two senior pacers in Akhtar and Asif in the team, the bowling attack will be lead by young left-arm pacer Mohammad Aamer.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (Captain), Salman Butt, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Kamran Akmal, Mahammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Saaed Ajmal, Shahzaib Hassan, Shoaib Akthar, Shoaib Mallik, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin.
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakarra (Captain), Muttiah Muralitharan, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Suraj Ranjiv, Thilina Kamdamby, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Parvez Maroof, Lasith Mallinga, Angelo Mathews, Thilan Samaweera, Upul Tharanga, Chanaka Welegedara.
Four-time champions India, who come here after twin debacles in the Twenty20 World Cup and the recent tri-series in Zimbabwe, last won the title 15 years ago in the United Arab Emirates and will open their campaign on June 16 against Bangladesh.
Before that, with a hat-trick of titles in sight, Sri Lanka would look to exploit the home conditions against Pakistan at the Rangiri Dambulla ground on Tuesday.
Considering the fact that Sri Lanka won the title in the previous two editions, the hosts are slight favourites over the others in the four-nation tournament.
The tournament opener between Sri Lanka and Pakistan holds promise as on paper both the teams are equally matched in terms of potential, though the buoyant hosts have the more experienced players, who have a reputation of being devastating in their own backyard.
The inclusion of wily off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who recovered from an injury sustained during the Twenty20 World Cup, has strengthened the Kumar Sangakkara-led Sri Lankan side.
Even though both Sri Lanka and Pakistan made it to the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, the hosts will draw confidence from their recent tri-series victory in Zimbabwe.
Like India, Sri Lanka too had fielded a second string team in Zimbabwe, but the Lankan young guns rose to the occasion to come out triumphant in the tri-series.
What would be a morale-booster for Sri Lanka is dashing Tillakratne Dilshan's return to form.
Leading a young side in the tri-series, Dilshan made a rollicking return to form with a delectable century in the title clash against hosts Zimbabwe.
To add to it, Sri Lanka would be bolstered by the return of regular skipper Sangakkara and senior batsman Mahela Jayawardene, who has been in sublime form this season.
If Dilshan and Jayawardene combine well at the top of the order, it could spell trouble for Pakistan who had last won the title in 2000 in Bangladesh.
The 21-year-old Angelo Mathews will be another Sri Lankan to watch out for over the next two weeks as the quality all-rounder seeks to prove his supremacy in the biennial event.
Mathews has the ability to turn the match on its head with either bat or ball, which reflected in his performances over the last eight months.
However, the likes of Thilina Kandamby and Thilan Samaraweera will be under little pressure to perform, especially after their below-par performance in Zimbabwe.
What might work wonders for the Lankans in the tournament is the presence of a three-pronged varied spin attack in Muralitharan, Suraj Randiv and Rangana Herath in the bowler-friendly Dambulla wicket.
Pakistan, on the other hand, have this uncanny knack of coming back stronger from everycontroversy they stumble upon.
However, what remains to be seen is the chemistry between newly-appointed captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis.
It will be a test of character for Afridi to unite the team which has a history of dressing room problems and the return of former captain Shoaib Malik, seen as a trouble maker, will only make his job difficult.
The tournament is also seen as a last-gasp chance for veteran Shoaib Akhtar to revive his chequered career after the maverick fast bowler was included in the squad along with controversial pace colleague Mohammad Asif.
The talismanic Akhtar, who can hurl the ball at speeds over 150 kmph when in his elements, returns to international cricket after a long hiatus, forced by injuries and disciplinary issues.
But the Afridi-led Pakistan can never be written off as they have the potential to bounce back like wounded tigers when they are pushed to the wall.
Though Afridi lamented that he was not given the right team for the Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan came up with stunning performances to make it to the last four stage in the Caribbean.
The Pakistan team have exciting batsmen in Akmal brothers -- Kamran and Umar, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Malik, who recently tied the know with Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza.
Even though Pakistan have two senior pacers in Akhtar and Asif in the team, the bowling attack will be lead by young left-arm pacer Mohammad Aamer.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (Captain), Salman Butt, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Asad Shafiq, Imran Farhat, Kamran Akmal, Mahammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Saaed Ajmal, Shahzaib Hassan, Shoaib Akthar, Shoaib Mallik, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin.
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakarra (Captain), Muttiah Muralitharan, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Suraj Ranjiv, Thilina Kamdamby, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Parvez Maroof, Lasith Mallinga, Angelo Mathews, Thilan Samaweera, Upul Tharanga, Chanaka Welegedara.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Indian Team for Asia Cup : Sachin rested and Yuvi Dropped
Cracking the whip on non-performers, national selectors on Monday axed the struggling duo of Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan and rested veteran Sachin Tendulkar from India's 15-member squad for this month's Asia Cup cricket tournament in Sri Lanka.
20-year-old Jharkhand batsman Saurabh Tiwary, who was quite impressive in the third edition of the Indian Premier League, was rewarded with a berth in the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led squad along with Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda.
"A lot of stress was given on the fitness of the players. Fitness and fielding are very important. 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 matches because of poor fielding," chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth told reporters.
"We also put stress on consistent performance. Lot of players have done consistently well and apart from the seniors, we have blooded some youngsters as well so that they know what international cricket is all about," he explained.
Srikkanth said skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who attended the meeting, also gave his inputs.
"It was a happy meeting with captain (MS Dhoni) and secretary (N Srinivasan) and I think the captain is also convinced. This is the best possible side. I'm not going to speak about any individual player," Srikkanth said.
The selectors, who had opted to rest most of the seniors for the tri-series in Zimbabwe, chose a full-strength team which included seniors like pacer Zaheer Khan, opener Gautam Gambhir and spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh.
Tamil Nadu off-spinner R Ashwin, who is also a decent batsman, has been retained in the squad. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha returned to the team at the expense of leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who failed to make much of an impact in the disastrous tour of Zimbabwe.
The team in Zimbabwe, which was led by Suresh Raina, couldn't make the finals of and suffered consecutive humiliating losses to the African minnows.
Although Raina has retained his place, other flops like Yusuf and Mishra have been shown the door.
The pace duo of Abhishek Nayar and Sudeep Tyagi who had featured in India's squad during the home series against South Africa in February have not found favour this time around.
The squad, a fine blend of youth and experience, has six specialist batsmen, four pacers, three spinners and an all-rounder in Ravindra Jadeja.
Captain Dhoni is the lone specialist wicket-keeper in the squad.
Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Virender Sehwag (Vice-Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda, R Ashwin, Saurabh Tiwary.
Tendulkar had sought a break to spend time with his children, while Yuvraj and Yusuf's ouster was on the cards after a series of disappointing performances in recent times as the selectors laid stress on form and fitness.
Flamboyant opener Virender Sehwag, who was laid low with a shoulder injury and missed the Twenty20 World Cup, returned to the squad while wicket-keeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik and leg-spinner Amit Mishra were axed.
"Sachin 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 after the selection meeting which lasted close to two hours.
20-year-old Jharkhand batsman Saurabh Tiwary, who was quite impressive in the third edition of the Indian Premier League, was rewarded with a berth in the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led squad along with Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda.
"A lot of stress was given on the fitness of the players. Fitness and fielding are very important. 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 matches because of poor fielding," chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth told reporters.
"We also put stress on consistent performance. Lot of players have done consistently well and apart from the seniors, we have blooded some youngsters as well so that they know what international cricket is all about," he explained.
Srikkanth said skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who attended the meeting, also gave his inputs.
"It was a happy meeting with captain (MS Dhoni) and secretary (N Srinivasan) and I think the captain is also convinced. This is the best possible side. I'm not going to speak about any individual player," Srikkanth said.
The selectors, who had opted to rest most of the seniors for the tri-series in Zimbabwe, chose a full-strength team which included seniors like pacer Zaheer Khan, opener Gautam Gambhir and spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh.
Tamil Nadu off-spinner R Ashwin, who is also a decent batsman, has been retained in the squad. Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha returned to the team at the expense of leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who failed to make much of an impact in the disastrous tour of Zimbabwe.
The team in Zimbabwe, which was led by Suresh Raina, couldn't make the finals of and suffered consecutive humiliating losses to the African minnows.
Although Raina has retained his place, other flops like Yusuf and Mishra have been shown the door.
The pace duo of Abhishek Nayar and Sudeep Tyagi who had featured in India's squad during the home series against South Africa in February have not found favour this time around.
The squad, a fine blend of youth and experience, has six specialist batsmen, four pacers, three spinners and an all-rounder in Ravindra Jadeja.
Captain Dhoni is the lone specialist wicket-keeper in the squad.
Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Virender Sehwag (Vice-Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda, R Ashwin, Saurabh Tiwary.
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