Awaiting clarity on all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s fitness status, the national selection committee will pick India’s Test and ODI teams for the New Zealand tour after a few days. The meeting was earlier tentatively scheduled for Sunday.
“There isn’t going to be too much of brainstorming with regards to the team. But a fit Hardik is a necessity. The moment NCA (National Cricket Academy) gives Hardik green light to play competitive cricket, he will be an automatic choice. So the selectors will wait for a few more days,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
In case Hardik fails to make it, the selectors might either look at the hitting prowess of Suryakumar Yadav since the ODIs in New Zealand will be an extension of T20s in the World Cup year.
The other change in the Test squad could be the fast-rising Navdeep Saini going as an extra pacer rather than Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner since only one among Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja will make the playing XI.
There is also a possibility that Ajinkya Rahane will be considered due to his better technique compared to Kedar Jadhav who is slowly falling off in the pecking order.
