P – Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar will skip the upcoming series of limited-overs matches in Sri Lanka, it was announced on Wednesday.

India will play five one-day internationals, starting in Hambantota on July 21, plus a one-off Twenty20 match on August 7.

The 39-year-old Tendulkar, who completed an unprecedented century of centuries during the Asia Cup in Dhaka in March, is the world’s leading run-getter in both Test (15,470) and one-day (18,426) cricket.

Tendulkar, who does not play in international T20 games, has dismissed talk of retirement but has chosen to play in only some of India’s ODIs in recent years.

Opener Virender Sehwag and pace bowler Zaheer Khan have returned from injuries along with fellow quick Umesh Yadav.

Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, the costliest player in this year’s Indian Premier League auction when he was bought for $2 million by Chennai Super Kings, has been dropped.

“We have selected the best possible side,” chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth said. “We have a busy year with England and Australia due to tour here, so we hope this season starts with a bang.”

India one-day and T20 squad:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virat Kohli (vc), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda, Vinay Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Manoj Tiwari, Rahul Sharma.