India will play three T20Is and two Tests against New Zealand at home.
Cricketer-turned commentator Aakash Chopra is worried about the absence of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant in the Indian squad for the Test series against New Zealand.
After the disappointing exit from the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Team India will lock horns against New Zealand in the home series. The two cricketing heavyweights will clash in the T20I series followed by the Test series.
The T20I series between the nations will kick start from 17th November in Jaipur followed by the second and the third T20I in Ranchi and Kolkata on 19th and 21st November respectively. While the two-match Test series will begin on November 25th in Kanpur followed by the second match in Mumbai on 3rd December.
Days after naming squad for the T20I series, BCCI announced the squad for the Test series as well and rested Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami to manage their workload.
With Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant not being named in the squad, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra is worried about the preparation of the duo for the South Africa tour.
He feels that Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant should’ve played the second Test match as there’s no game time between this series and South Africa tour. He said that batters need some time in the middle and should get used to scoring runs.
“If Rohit is not playing even one Test match, Rishabh Pant is also not playing and they are going to be surely a part of our XI in the first Test against South Africa, I am a little worried. I am just wondering, is it not a preparation for South Africa? Why am I saying the second match is important?
“You don't play the first, you can take a break in between because when you go to South Africa and there is no game time in between, it is going to be tough. The batters need some time in the middle, they should be used to scoring runs on the pitch,” Aakash Chopra said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
Chopra felt that Pant’s absence from the squad isn’t right as he did not have great series in England and was short of runs in IPL.
"I am thinking that the series that Pant had in England, that wasn't a great series for him. He did not score too many runs. IPL was also okay-okay, World Cup was also okay-okay. He will play the T20s here but will not play even one Test,” he said.
Aakash Chopra cited the example of KL Rahul, saying the right-handed batter has played every match since the England series and will be the part of the home series against New Zealand. He stressed the fact that the Indian T20I vice-captain is not looking for a big break and focusing on cricket.
"You can leave the WTC because there was a one-month gap after that, so let's start from the India-England Test matches, KL Rahul is also a player who has played all the matches. KL Rahul will be playing the T20s, he is the vice-captain there and he is playing the two Test matches also. He is not looking for that big a break," he said.
Both Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant will be the part of the T20I series against New Zealand, starting 17th November. The senior Indian opener was named Indian skipper in the shortest format of the game after Virat Kohli stepped down.