NZ Tour: Hardik Pandya's return could be delayed, Gill or Rahul for 3rd opener in Tests

With all-rounder Hardik Pandya's anticipated return getting delayed after he failed fitness test, India's limited overs squads are unlikely to be tinkered with much for upcoming six-week tour of New Zealand. Starting January 24, India will be playing five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Test matches, and squads for tour will be picked on Sunday.

READ: Pandya fails fitness tests, Vijay Shankar replaces him in India A squad

Hardik Pandya still t fit

Pandya was expected to make Indian squad after remaining out of action for four months due to a back injury but all-rounder could t clear mandatory fitness test, indicating that it will take him more to recover from surgery he recently had. India will be playing eight white-ball games in New Zealand, and it will be interesting to see if selectors pick a 16 or 17-member squad, instead of 15. With India A team's shadow tour coinciding with seniors' visit, it gives selectors an option to draft players on SOS basis if need arises.

selectors will primarily focus on zeroing in on core for white-ball cricket considering that this is a T20 World Cup year. While T20 squad that played against Sri Lanka in just-concluded series all but picks itself, Pandya was expected to be included once he proved his fitness in warm-up games. However, his failure to clear fitness test is an indication that he is far from ready for interests. It will be interesting to te if ODI team is an extension of T20 squad.

weakest link in ODI team is Kedar Jadhav, who has mand to hold onto his 50 over slot amid pressure to replace him. In New Zealand, Jadhav's technical frailties could be exposed and his lack of overs in recent times makes him a case for exclusion.

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or selections

In case Indian team looks for technical solidity, Ajinkya Rahane could make a comeback, but if team manment is thinking in terms of treating 50 over games as an extension of T20 series, Mumbai player Suryakumar Yadav's explosive power hitting at . 5 or 6 could be an option. Both Surya and Sanju Samson are in A squad. Test squad wears a very settled look with only contention being third opener's slot.

Picked as a reserve for home series, young Shubman Gill deserves to be third opener, but K L Rahul's current form and experience in Test cricket could also be considered. selectors will also deliberate on if a third spinner (Kuldeep Yadav) is needed for two-match Test series instead of a fifth pacer (Navdeep Saini) to accompany Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma. rest automatically pick mselves in case re are fitness issues.

(Im Source: PTI)

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