Ahead of the competitive Test series against Australia, the Test regulars from India will set foot in New Zealand to play an A tour in a bid to acclimatize to the bouncy conditions. Test players Ajinkya Rahane, who will also captain the team, Murali Vijay, Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari will feature in India A's tour of New Zealand for the first unofficial Test, which is being organised to give the Indian team some invaluable match-time experience.
The Indian Test squad had earlier been in the firing line for heading into the crucial away series in South Africa and England sans many practice games earlier this year, and the upcoming A tour is being seen as an effort to reverse the trend. Rohit Sharma, who was also picked in the squad has been rested for the first unofficial Test due to his heavy work schedule in the recent past.
With the track at Bay Oval conducive to fast bowling, and with the Kiwis fielding quicks like Doug Bracewell, the task seems cut out for the Indian unit.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Tim Seifert (8.5 credits)
The 23-year old has impressed in his short 33-match First-Class career, scoring four tons at an average of 38.11. With Parthiv Patel in inconsistent form, the Kiwi cricketer seems an assured pick, especially as he will be up against the Indian fast bowlers, who might not be as threatening as the bowlers he has played with.
Batsman: Mayank Agarwal (9 credits)
Mayank Agarwal is one of
Ahead of the competitive Test series against Australia, the Test regulars from India will set foot in New Zealand to play an A tour in a bid to acclimatize to the bouncy conditions. Test players Ajinkya Rahane, who will also captain the team, Murali Vijay, Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari will feature in India A's tour of New Zealand for the first unofficial Test, which is being organised to give the Indian team some invaluable match-time experience.
The Indian Test squad had earlier been in the firing line for heading into the crucial away series in South Africa and England sans many practice games earlier this year, and the upcoming A tour is being seen as an effort to reverse the trend. Rohit Sharma, who was also picked in the squad has been rested for the first unofficial Test due to his heavy work schedule in the recent past.
With the track at Bay Oval conducive to fast bowling, and with the Kiwis fielding quicks like Doug Bracewell, the task seems cut out for the Indian unit.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Tim Seifert (8.5 credits)
The 23-year old has impressed in his short 33-match First-Class career, scoring four tons at an average of 38.11. With Parthiv Patel in inconsistent form, the Kiwi cricketer seems an assured pick, especially as he will be up against the Indian fast bowlers, who might not be as threatening as the bowlers he has played with.
Batsman: Mayank Agarwal (9 credits)
Mayank Agarwal is one of the most promising cricketers in India currently. He has scored 3,372 runs from 43 matches at an average of 50.32 and had an excellent series against England earlier this year, where he countered swing bowling with excellence. It enabled him to seal a spot in India's Test series against West Indies, but he was subsequently dropped for the four Tests against Australia without getting a game. The player hence has a point to prove, and he would be eager to grab his chances in difficult conditions.
All-rounder: Doug Bracewell (9.5 credits)
The Kiwi international not only has a fair idea of the conditions, but he is in roaring form as well. Five matches into the Ford Trophy, and Bracewell already has scalped seven wickets, along with scoring some crucial runs down the order for his side Central Districts. Against the Indians, who are not the best players of fast bowling, the 28-year old can emerge as a game-changer.
Bowler: Rajneesh Gurbani (8 credits)
Gurbani left a mark with his inspired displays in the Ranji Trophy last season, where he picked up 39 wickets on tracks that were relatively slow and low. With an ability to hit the deck hard and extract maximum bounce, Gurbani can be the standout bowler for India in the first unofficial Test.
Captain: Doug Bracewell
Vice-captain: Mayank Agarwal
