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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Test squad for the two-match series in New Zealand starting February 21 at Basin Reserve, Wellington. U19 World Cup sensation Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw make the cut into the squad to bolster the batting order.
Gill replaces India’s all-format opener, Rohit Sharma, after the latter succumbed to a calf injury while batting in the final T20I at Bay Oval. The Board also named Mayank Agarwal the replacement for India’s ace opener in the upcoming 3-match ODI series starting Wednesday at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Prithvi Shaw will open the batting with Karnataka colleague KL Rahul in all probability, in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. After coming back from an injury, Dhawan hurt his shoulders while fielding in the ODIs against Australia, to add to India’s injury woes.
Meanwhile, Gill, on the back of a double century against New Zealand ‘A’, booked his berth into the Indian side. Prithvi Shaw is all set to open the batting with Mayank Agarwal in the Tests.
After an impressive debut, Shaw lost his place in the side after an injury while fielding. Shaw, then, served his ban period of consuming prohibited substances by mistake. Both Shaw and Gill are coming off a successful stint against New Zealand ‘A’.
Jasprit Bumrah makes a comeback into the Test squad after a long layoff. Ishant Sharma’s inclusion into the squad, on the other hand, is subjected to fitness clearance. Question marks on Hardik Pandya’s fitness remain persistent.
Revised ODI squad:
Virat Kohli (captain), Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, Kedar Jadhav, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Lokesh Rahul, Rishabh Pant (Keeper), Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur
Test squad:
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, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ishant Sharma (subject to fitness clearance).
