KL Rahul's stellar showing in white-ball cricket makes him a firm favourite to regain his place in the Test side while Hardik Pandya's fitness is a topic of discussion as the selectors gear up to pick ODI and Test squads for the New Zealand tour on January 19, claims a PTI report.

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Rahul, who did a brilliant job in T20Is and ODIs this home season, has lost his place in the Test squad after the West Indies tour last year. But as skipper Virat Kohli said after the second ODI against Australia that it's difficult to ignore a player of Rahul’s calibre from any squad, he might pipped the likes of Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw as reserve Test opener.

According to the report, young pacer Navdeep Saini could receive his maiden Test call-up for the Kiwi tour. Saini will go as an additional fast bowler rather than Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner since only one among Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja will feature the playing XI.

Meanwhile, the Indian team management is keenly waiting for Hardik to fully recover from the back surgery. Once the all-rounder becomes "bowling fit", he will be an automatic pick in the limited-overs team.

Last week, Pandya pulled out of the India 'A' team's tour of New Zealand as he wasn't satisfied after the high intensity bowling workload test.

If Hardik fails to make it to the squad then selectors may go with the swashbuckling Suryakumar Yadav since the ODIs in New Zealand will be an extension of T20Is in World Cup year.

Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s comeback in the ODI side can’t be ruled out as well.

"Kedar [Jadhav] is certainly not going to play 2023 World Cup and doesn't even bowl now. Since he is not in T20, no point in carrying him to New Zealand. Possibly Surya or Rahane should be tried," a BCCI source privy to selection matters told PTI.

Team India are slated to play five T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests in the Kiwi tour, starting January 24.

(With PTI inputs)