After humiliating New Zealand in the T20 series with a 3-0 clean sweep, the focus is now shifted to red-ball cricket. India will host Kiwis for the two-match Test series, starting November 25. With big names missing, it could be a big opportunity for players who have been warming the benches. Rohit Sharma is rested for the series and Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill would open given KL Rahul is ruled out of 1st test due to injury.
Meanwhile, it would be a toss-up between Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer for the number 4 spot.
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Captain Rahane would retain his No 5 spot and would be followed by either KS Bharat or Wriddhiman Saha with Rishabh Pant rested for the series. It would be interesting to see whether the newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid would go with the experience of Saha or choose rookie Bharat behind the stumps.
With the home team preferring to play on turning tracks in the recent past, it won’t come as a surprise if the management picks the spin trio of Ashwin, Axar and Jadeja.
The pace battery is likely to be led by Ishant Sharma with Mohammed Siraj as the second pacer.
Team India possible Playing XI for 1st Test
Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer/Suryakumar Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.