India backs down over Sehwag

The standoff between the International Cricket Council and the Indian cricket board over the selection of banned batsman Virender Sehwag is over after India decided to drop him from the team to face England

Yesterday, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed extended the today's deadline for India to withdraw Sehwag from the first test against England in Mohali starting Monday.

If Sehwag had been picked for the team, the test would have lost its official status and England would have refused to play and potentially cancel the tour.

The dispute centred on the decision of match referee Mike Denness to discipline six Indian players – including star player Sachin Tendulkar – for bringing the game into disrepute in the second test against South Africa on Nov. 19. Sehwag was banned for one match for excessive appealing.

When both countries decided to remove Denness from officiating in the third test, the ICC stripped the match of official status. India maintained the match was still a test and Sehwag, who sat out the South Africa match, ass eligible for the England match. Denness is a former England test player.