The All-India Senior Selection Committee, on Friday, announced the
Indian squad for the upcoming two-match Test
series against New Zealand. While Virat
Kohli has been rested for the first Test, he will come back in
the second and will lead the team.

In his absence, Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the squad
in the first Test match.

India’s Test series against New Zealand will be starting on November 25,
Kanpur. Apart from Virat Kohli, newly appointed T20 captain and regular opener
Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed
Shami have been rested as part of BCCI‘s
workload management policy.

“Virat Kohli will join the squad for the second Test and will lead
the team,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement. Middle-order
batter Shreyas Iyer made a comeback in the Test
squad along with off-spinner Jayant Yadav.

A notable absentee in the Test squad is Hanuma Vihari who has been brilliant
for the team every time he has been called up. He has been dropped from the 16-man
squad (17 in the next Test).

It has been learned that Vihari will be getting a call up to India A’s
squad for South Africa’s tour and if he manages to put in an impressive display
iin the three matches then he will get a chance in India’s main squad.

A senior BCCI
official told PTI, “We are
sending Vihari to South Africa for the A series and his performance in the
three ‘A Test’ matches will be monitored,”

The decision
has been made following a string of poor performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali
Trophy. While in his last six first class innings for Warwickshire he has
recorded scores of 32, 52, 8, 0, 24 and 43 not out.

A more attacking
batter Shreyas Iyer has been opted over a defensive Vihari. The reason behind
the decision is believed to be Iyer’s ability to play a counter-attacking knock
which can get the team out of a troubling situation.

The Test series will be preceded by a three-match T20 series.

India’s Test squad: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal,
Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha
(wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar
Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh
Krishna.