The New Zealand tour will be a big challenge for the Indian team, the no.1 ranked team in the world in Test matches. There will be two Test matches on the tour under the ICC World Test Championship.
The two Tests will be played on February 21 in Wellington and from February 29 at Christchurch. The last time New Zealand hosted the Indian team for red-ball cricket was in 2014-15 and the hosts won the series 1-0 with Brendon McCullum hitting a double ton and a triple century in the two Tests.
This time however, New Zealand will be coming off a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Australia and India will be reaching the Kiwi shores after a very good home Test season with wins over Bangladesh and South Africa.
Meanwhile the BCCI announced the Test squad for the two-match Test series and most of the names were usual ones with Mayank Agarwal opening the innings, Rahane, Pujara, captain Kohli, and others helming the batting lineup, while Saha and Pant sharing the keeping duties. Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the series with a calf injury and Prithvi Shaw has made his way back in the squad after his long absence due to various reasons.
Bowling wise, Jadeja Ashwin are the spinners picked in the team while Jasprit Bumrah makes a return to the Test fold after missing the home season due to injuries. Kuldeep Yadav has been left out from the squad.
Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav continue to hold onto their places in the squad, while veteran Ishant Sharma will undergo a fitness test before the series after twisting his ankle while playing for Delhi in Ranji Trophy. Navdeep Saini has earned a call-up too after his impressive performances in white-ball cricket.
Here is the Indian Test squad for the New Zealand tour:
Virat Kohli (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ishant Sharma (subject to fitness clearance).
