Tendulkar to miss NKP Salve Challenger Trophy

Sachin Tendulkar has pulled out of the forthcoming NKP Salve Challenger Trophy seeking rest, the BCCI has said. He will join Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan as the first-choice players who won't be featuring in the tournament; the latter two have been forced out because of injuries.

Tendulkar missed India's last Group A match in the Champions Trophy in South Africa because of food poisoning. His replacement in the India Blue side is Tamil Nadu's Abhinav Mukund, who followed an impressive Ranji season with a century in the Irani Cup last week.

Among the other changes, S Badrinath, originally picked for India Green, will now captain India Red in Yuvraj's absence. Yuvraj's direct replacement in the side is Maharashtra's Ameya Shrikhande. Irfan's replacement in the India Green side is Vikramjeet Malik from Himachal Pradesh. Manoj Tiwary, who was originally picked in the India Red side, has been called up to represent Delhi Daredevils in the Champions League Twenty20, with Saurabh Tiwary taking his place.

The Challenger Trophy will be played from October 8 to 11 in Nagpur, and will serve as India's last preparations before Australia arrive for a seven-match ODI series later this month.