India vs New Zealand, 1st Test: India probable XI for the Wellington match

India Probable XI for first Test against New Zealand

Wellington, February 20: India will face New Zealand in the first Test here at the Basin Reserve from Friday. It will be a tough test for Virat Kohli and his bunch against the Kiwis, always a strong force at home. The home side will also be buoyed by the fact that they swept India away in the ODI series 3-0 recently.

India will be eager to start the series strongly as giving ground to NZ will be tricky for them. MyKhel looks in to India probable XI for the first Test.

1. Prithvi Shaw

The young man did not have a great time in the ODI series. But the management might prefer a genuine opener at that slot than pushing someone like Hanuma Vihari as a makeshift option.

2. Mayank Agarwal

Mayank too is coming off a lean ODI series and he would like to compensate for it with a substantial outing here.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara has showed excellent touch in the side game and he would like to build on that in the Test series as he had done against Australia a year ago.

4. Virat Kohli

Overall, Kohli did not have a satisfactory white ball leg in New Zealand both as a batsman and as a captain. He would be eager to get a move on the Test series and begin the charge at Wellington.

5. Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane too was in some touch in the side game and he has a big job to do as he will be the fulcrum of the middle-order and has been in good for since the tour of West Indies last year.

6. Hanuma Vihari

Vihari made a hundred in the warm-up match and he would like to build on it in the Test series. He would come handy as a part-time off-spinner also.

7. Ravindra Jadeja / R Ashwin

Jadeja might hold a slight edge over Ashwin as he has generally been considered as the No 1 spinner in overseas conditions where only one frontline spinner is used. And Jadeja has also improved a lot as a batsman.

8. Wriddhiman Saha

Saha will have massive role behind the stumps in NZ where the ball might wobble in windy conditions and he would also like to add few good runs below the order.

9. Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma has cleared fitness test at NCA and Kohli has hinted at having him in the playing XI. But if the management does not feel like rushing him then they have the option of bringing in Umesh Yadav.

10. Mohammed Shami

Shami would be eager to sustain his outstanding form that he displayed in the Test series against South Africa and Bangladesh at home.

11. Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah went through a rare wicketless series in the three-match one-dayers against New Zealand and he would like to make amends for it with a big Test series.