Dhoni pulls out of Srilankan series

Non-stop cricket for the past one year has taken its toll on the Indian ODI skipper who pulled out of the upcoming test series in Sri Lanka starting on the 23rd of July.

Dhoni, who turned 27 on Monday, said he was exhausted due to the hectic schedule and wished to take a break after the Asia Cup to recharge his batteries.

"Dhoni met BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah and expressed his wish to take a break. He wants to opt out of the Test series," BCCI sources told PTI.

Dhoni has been playing non-stop for more than an year now. It started with India's 80-day tour of England in July last year followed by the Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa, an ODI series against Australia and a Test and ODI series against Pakistan at home, an acrimonious and arduous tour of Australia which stretched over two months, a Test series against South Africa at home, and then the the Indian Premier League (IPL).

And soon after the 44-day IPL ended where the Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings reached the final, India played a tri-series in Bangladesh and then took part in the Asia Cup, both times India were the runners-up.

Dhoni had criticised the hectic scheduling of games during the Asia Cup, in which India had to play back-to-back games twice.

Virender Sehwag is the latest to join India's long injury list after he sustained a groin injury. The Indian team physion has advised him 10 days rest. The selectors will choose the squad for Sri Lanka today and it is unclear whether Sehwag will be included though they will have to take his injury under consideration.

It is also learned that the selectors won't be considering S Sreesanth for the tour, since he is still on the injured list.