The in-form Indian opener, Prithvi Shaw took another step to make a comeback in the Indian team after being named in the A squad for the tour of New Zealand. The young protege has been named in the squad for three List A matches as well as two four-day games. Shaw has been in sublime touch since returning from a ban for 8 months due to doping last month. The youngster made a spectacular double century in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy-opener against Baroda.
Though India has a settled opening pair in Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal, Shaw could make the Test squad for the New Zealand series as a reserve opener. After announcing the India A squad for the tour of New Zealand, selection committee chairman MSK Prasad made it clear that they want Shaw to get as much “game time as possible”.
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Shaw had made a memorable Test debut 2018, scoring a hundred against the West Indies in Rajkot. Hanuma Vihari will be leading the Indian team for the four-day games in New Zealand and Shubman Gill in the 50-over format.
Test specialists like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma will get much-needed match practice in New Zealand ahead of the two-Test series, beginning in Wellington on February 21. The second Test will be played in Christchurch from February 29.
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Talking about the same, Agarwal said, “As we have set the system, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Mayank Agarwal will play the second A game. (As for) Hardik, we will have a look at him in the third week of January.”
India A squad for two tour matches and three one-day games: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill (capt), Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Warrier, Ishan Porel, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj.
India A squad for 1st four-day game: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari (capt), KS Bharat (wk), Shivam Dube, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Warrier, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Porel, Ishan Kishan.
India A squad for 2nd four-day game: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hanuma Vihari (capt), KS Bharat (wk), Shivam Dube, R Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sandeep Warrier, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Porel.
