India's home Test season is set to resume with a three-match series against New Zealand. After mauling Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, the Men in Blue will be looking to put another strong outing against the former world Test champions. Meanwhile, there is an injury concern for India ahead of the opening Test.
As per India TV sources, star batter Shubman Gill is doubtful to feature in the first Test against the Blackcaps at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium from October 16 onwards. The Indian No.3 has a stiff neck, which could force him to sit out of the series opener in Bengaluru.
Gill's potential omission would unsettle the team's batting line-up, especially after the Gujarat Titans captain is getting into the zone at No.3. He used to open the innings but has put himself a place down himself, making room for another young sensation in Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gill has struck three centuries and two half-tons at No.3 in the seven Test matches in the last two series against Bangladesh and England.
If Gill sits out, Sarfaraz Khan seems to be the frontrunner for a place in the Playing XI but he is likely to bat in the middle-order, where he has been brilliant in his short stint in Test. KL Rahul, who used to open for India earlier and did it earlier in the away series in South Africa, is likely to bat at No.3 with no other changes to the batting line-up.
While the other batting unit shall remain the same, India might be having a call to make in their bowling department. After using three pacers and two spinners against Bangladesh, the Men in Blue might be tempted to bring three spinners in the line-up, especially because Bengaluru is likely to have a black soil pitch, which assists the spinners more. However, as the weather forecast signals a strong probability of precipitations on the match days, their three-spin idea might not materialize.
India's Probable Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill/Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Akash Deep/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
