Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar will skip the upcoming series of limited-over matches in Sri Lanka, the national selectors announced yesterday.

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 and one-day cricket.

Tendulkar, who does not play in international Twenty20 games, has dismissed talk of retirement but has chosen to play in only some of India’s ODIs in recent years.

Meanwhile, hard-hitting opener Virender Sehwag and key pace-man Zaheer Khan both return to bolster the side after missing the Asia Cup due to injuries.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the 15-man squad, with batsman Virat Kohli as his deputy.