National cricket selectors today cracked the whip on non-performers and axed the struggling duo of Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan from India's 15-member squad for this month's Asia Cup cricket tournament in Sri Lanka. The Selectors also rested veteran Sachin Tendulkar from the squad. Tendulkar had sought a break to spend time with hischildren, while Yuvraj and Yusuf's ouster was on the cardsafter a series of disappointing performances in recent timesas 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. BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement after the selection meeting in New Delhi that Sachin Tendulkar had 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. The selection meeting lasted close to two hours. 20-year-old Jharkhand batsman Saurabh Tiwary, who was quite impressive in the third edition of the Indian PremierLeague, was rewarded with a berth in the Mahendra SinghDhoni-led squad along with Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda. Chairman of selectors Krish Srikkanth told reporters that a lot of stress was given on the fitness of the players. He said fitness and fielding are very important and they went through the record of last one year and put lot of stress on it. The squad, a fine blend of youth and experience, has sixspecialist batsmen, four pacers, three spinners and anall-rounder in Ravindra Jadeja. Captain Dhoni is the lone specialist wicket-keeper in the squad. The members of the squad are: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt), 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.