BCCI announce India’s Test squad for New Zealand tour to India 2021.
IndiaVSNewZealand: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday released a 16-men strong Indian red-ball squad for New Zealand’s tour to India for two matches test series.
Ajinkya Rahane, the regular vice-captain of the red-ball team, will lead the side in the first test match. Virat Kohli will continue to be on rest during the first test match. He will make a comeback in the side in the second test and will take over the leadership roles from Rahane.
“Virat Kohli will join the squad for the second Test and will lead the team,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
T20I skipper Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and stumper batsman Rishabh Pant are given match off for the test series after multiple complaints of bubble fatigue have emerged.
Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill and Jayant Yadav have made a comeback. Shubman Gill was injured during India’s tour to England for five Test matches and was ruled out for the entire series. KL Rahul took over his place in the opening slot with Rohit Sharma in the England vs India test series.
The biggest absentee in the test squad that has caught the flame over social media is middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari. The Indian selectors overlooked the cricketer, though, he is completely fit to play the matches. Later, BCCI informed that Vihari has been added to India A squad for the South Africa tour.
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“We are sending Vihari to South Africa for the A series and his performance in the three ‘A Test’ matches will be monitored,” a senior BCCI functionary confirmed the development to PTI.
Wriddhiman Saha will be the first choice wicketkeeper in the absence of flamboyant Rishabh Pant. While KS Bharat has been kept as his backup.
The pace attack will be spearheaded by Ishant Sharma having Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna as his soldiers.
India’s Test Squad for New Zealand’s tour to India –
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Cheteshwar Pujara (vc), KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Mohd Siraj, R. Ashwin, S Iyer, Wriddiman Saha (WK), J Yadav, KS Bharat (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.