Rahul likely to come back for Tests, Hardik may return for ODIs, if fit

KL Rahul's stupendous white-ball form makes him a firm favourite to get his place back in red ball team even as selectors fret on all-rounder Hardik Pandya's fitness before picking ODI and Test squads for New Zealand tour here on Sunday.

Rahul has been India's most consistent player in T20 and ODIs but he lost his place in Test squad after tour of Australia. But as skipper Virat Kohli said that it's difficult to leave a player like Rahul from any squad, he has a better chance than fit-again Prithvi Shaw or Subman Gill who was reserve Test opener during home series last season.

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Or changes

or change in Test squad could be fast-rising Navdeep Saini going as an extra pacer rar than Kuldeep Yadav as third spinner since only one among Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja will make playing XI. Similarly, Indian team manment is erly waiting for Hardik to become "bowling fit" for white-ball matches post back surgery and will be an automatic choice for ODIs if fit. He had failed mandatory "bowling workload test" after which his personal trainer S Rajnikanth advised him to pull out of India A's shadow tour.

In case, Hardik can't make it, selectors might eir look at hitting prowess of Suryakumar Yadav since ODIs in Kiwiland will be an extension of T20s in World Cup year. re is also a possibility that Ajinkya Rahane will be considered due to his better technique compared to Kedar Jadhav who is slowly falling off in pecking order.

"Kedar is certainly t going to play 2023 World Cup and doesn't even bowl w. Since he is t in T20, point in carrying him to New Zealand. Possibly Surya or Rahane should be tried," a BCCI source privy to selection matters told PTI. 

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