The all-India senior selection committee of the BCCI will meet here on Monday to select the Indian team for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, beginning September 22. The Kiwis led by Kane Williamson are set to arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Though major changes are not expected to the 17-member squad that participated in the four-match Test series against the West Indies recently. But considering it is a home series, it may be pruned to a 15-member squad and couple of guys are likely to miss out. Also, there is likely to be some discussion on Gautam Gambhir’s return.
Gambhir had a good last domestic season and has shown fine form in the ongoing Duleep Trophy scoring 320 runs in four innings so far. But Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan are set to get nod despite having an average tour of the West Indies.
K.L. Rahul took his chance with both hands and seems to have sealed his slot for now. Vijay, who missed two Tests in the West Indies, had a decent series against South Africa and a dream run on the Bangladesh and Australia tours.
Dhawan hasn’t been able to carry on his form ever since his dream debut against Australia in 2013. He has scored just two hundreds — against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — in the remaining 21 Tests. He struggled against South Africa during the home series last year and barring an innings of 84, he had nothing much to show against the West Indies recently.
Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t been show the same level of consistentcy, that he exhibited at the start of his career. He didn’t impress in the West Indies either but his two centuries in the Duleep Trophy couldn’t have come at a better time. Rohit Sharma has been an enigma in Tests and was given another chance in the West Indies but couldn’t grab it. He is currently in action in the Duleep Trophy final and managed 30 in the first innings.
Coach Anil Kumble has shown support for Pujara and Rohit but the selectors would be under pressure as the likes of Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer and Karun Nair are consistently knocking on the doors. Rohit has also got backing from skipper Virat Kohli in the longer format. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have formed the backbone in the middle order.
Wriddhiman Saha has cemented his place as a wicketkeeper and the selectors are unlikely to name another ’keeper in a home series.
Spinners will be key on tracks that turn with the trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Ravindra Jadeja almost a certainty.
It will be interesting to see if the think-tank pick up an extra spinner. Given that Kohli has preferred a five-prong bowling attack and on turning pitches, India may play all three spinners so a cushion to them in the form of Jayant Yadav or Kuldeep Yadav is a possibility.
Stuart Binny has been picked often but has got due chance only in England and Sri Lanka without much success with the ball. He didn’t get to play a Test in the Caribbean.
