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Team India's next Test assignment is already upon us. Following their 2-0 win over Bangladesh, Rohit Sharma and Co. will face off against New Zealand in three Tests, with the opening game of the series commencing on October 16 in Bengaluru.
The BCCI recently announced India's squad for the tour, and it didn't come with many surprises. While fast bowler Yash Dayal was dropped without getting a game after being picked for the Bangladesh rubber, the rest of the contingent wears a similar look.
India’s squad for the three Tests against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
What will their best side look like? Here is India's strongest playing XI for the New Zealand Test series.
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal
India's opening combination isn't bound to change. Yashasvi Jaiswal has made a sensational start to his Test career, and Rohit Sharma is arguably the best opener in the world right now. The duo had to be aggressive in the second Test against Bangladesh, but we might see them revert to a more stable style of play in the upcoming series.
Middle Order: Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja
India's middle order wears a settled look. Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli will be followed by Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja. While Gill and Pant seemed to be in excellent nick against Bangladesh, the others chipped in with valuable hands as well.
There were some debates regarding Rahul's spot in the side, with Sarfaraz Khan in the picture as well. But Gautam Gambhir and the team management seem to have made a call with the tour of Australia in mind. Rahul is likely the right man for the job, despite his evident lack of consistency.
Lower Order: Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah
In the lower order, India have a few options. Against Bangladesh, they didn't field either Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, opting to play three fast bowlers in the form of Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj instead.
Bumrah and Deep were the main threats in the pace attack. Siraj has been off color for a while now, and India shouldn't be too confident of his ability to trouble the New Zealand batters at home. So we could see them shelve the three-pacer strategy, although Bengaluru as a venue might prompt them to think otherwise.
Kuldeep Yadav is capable of being successful on any wicket. The left-arm spinner could be India's X-factor against the Kiwi middle order, and partnering him with Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin might yield the best results.
