What will be the likely XI of India vs New Zealand in first Test of the three-match series starting in Bengaluru on Wednesday? While the line-up looked settled, an India Today report said that Shubman Gill is feeling pain on his shoulder and neck. If Gill does not play, there might be some problem in having a settled XI. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, the torchbearers of India's transition phase, will have to be the team's driving force in its quest to lord over an unsettled New Zealand when the two sides square off in a three-Test series, beginning on Wednesday. The baton has not been completely passed, but Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are certainly running their last lap and these two young superstars will have to show that they can carry forward the legacy of the titans.
Since a productive series against England earlier this year, Gill is now more familiar and comfortable with the rigours of Test cricket. His last 10 innings contain three hundreds and two fifties, while Jaiswal's last eight outings in Test cricket feature a 214 and five fifties.
Those numbers are not to be scoffed at. But at the same time, it is important for them to build on the foundation through this series, a precursor to the much tougher journey to Australia next month. Gill seems to have sorted his issues with the in-coming deliveries from pacers, but a trace of the old failing still remains. Gill's absence could open the door for Sarfaraz Khan or Dhruv Jurel to find their way back into India's playing XI.
In Chennai, Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahamud troubled him with nip-backers before eventually grabbing his wicket.
Similarly, Jaiswal has a penchant to go for expansive shots against pace bowlers to get dismissed, evidenced by his three
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Sarfaraz Khan
Shubman Gill