Warm-Up Game: Opening gambit, lone spinner on focus as India meet steady NZ XI

Clarity on opening combination, a call on wher Ravichandran Ashwin's variations can trump Ravindra Jeja's all-round skill-sets will be focus for India in ir three-day warm-up game against New Zealand XI starting here on Friday. After harsh reality check of 0-3 drubbing in just-concluded ODI series, a red-ball warm-up game will be most welcome distraction for Virat Kohli and his men as a precursor to two-match Test series starting next week. India could not have asked for a better practice game as opposition team is full of New Zealand senior and A team players, including leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, all-rounder Jimmy Neesham and wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, in its ranks.

inclusion of first team white ball pacers Scott Kuggeliejn and Blair Tickner will be kind of test which both Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill will relish as y make a case for ir inclusion in playing XI for first Test starting in Wellington on February 21. Shubman will be itching to show his skipper that he is rey for big debut which is eagerly anticipated among his growing legion of fans, despite his international career being two-match old. A flat track like one at Seddon Park will also be a test for two frontline spinners with Ashwin and Jeja getting a chance to test likes of Daryl Mitchell, Tom Bruce and Seifert in action.

A good show on a flat deck can improve Ashwin's chances of toppling Jeja even though proposition looks dim at moment. For New Zealand XI, re is Dane Cleaver, who has h scores of 196 and 53 in two A 'Tests' against India. He would like to impress selectors and get into first team for Test series. India's red-ball overseas warm-up games in past few years have mostly been two-day affairs with home team batting on one day and visitors on or day.

Devoid of first-class status, matches have been about giving everyone in squ a chance to have a decent hit between 50 to 100 balls and bowlers getting into groove with a spell or two. hosting Boards also often put up a rag-tag outfit which is a strategic move to deny visiting teams a chance to check out against quality batting or bowling line-up. However, this warm-up game promises to be different as India are looking to get ir combination right for Test series which is also a part of World Test Championship.

Teams

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hanuma Vihari, Ravindra Jeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini, Shubman Gill.

NZ XI: Daryl Mitchell (captain), Finn Allen, Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Henry Cooper, Scott Kuggeleijn, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young. 13th men: Jake Gibson (Friday) and Scott Johnston (Saturday and Sunday).