New Delhi: Star spinner Kuldeep Yadav is unlikely to be picked in squad for their upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand.
India will travel to New Zealand later this month to play five T20Is, five ODIs and a three-match Test series.
Kuldeep, who is India’s frontline spinner in white-ball cricket, is set to be picked in the ODI and T20I squad but might not make the cut in the Test team. As per a report in the Times of India, Indian selectors were unlikely to pick more than three spinners in the Test squad for New Zealand, where conditions favour pacers more than spinners.
Kuldeep is thus unlikely to make the cut as spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Manav Suthar and Washington Sundar are currently ahead of him in the pecking order. Kuldeep was part of India’s squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka earlier this year.
He played the first Test against the hosts before being dropped from the second Test in Colombo for Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain. Jain failed to impress on his debut and is unlikely to be picked in India’s Test squad for the New Zealand series.
He made the cut in India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka series in the absence of Washington Sundar, who was out injured.
Nitish Reddy likely to return in Tests
Meanwhile, all-rounder Nitish Reddy is likely to make his Test comeback for India after missing the Sri Lanka series due to an injury in August this year. The pace all-rounder is certain to be picked in the Test squad for New Zealand for his ability to bowl medium pace. Reddy was part of India’s squad in the recently concluded ODI series against West Indies at home.
Senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested from the upcoming T20I series against West Indies, will lead India’s pace attack in the Test series against New Zealand. He will be joined by the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar and Akash Deep, depending on their availability.