Shubman Gill to lead India A against New Zealand A

Though the team is yet to be announced by the BCCI, TOI has learnt that Shubman Gill will lead India ‘A’ in both the four-day games and the three one-dayers. The three four-day fixtures will be held in Bangalore from September 1-4, 8-11 and 15-18, while the one-dayers will be held in Chennai on September 22, 25 and 27. Captained by Tom Bruce, the NZ ‘A’ squad will have seven internationals. The tour resumes the ‘A’ programme, which was stalled due to Covid-19. Taking as many as six five-wicket hauls, Mulani finished streets ahead of others in the wicket-takers’ chart in a truncated Ranji Trophy last season, taking 45 wickets in six games@16.75. The young tweaker also took 29 wickets in three games to bowl Mumbai to the under-25 CK Nayudu Trophy triumph.

Read AlsoNew Zealand name strong 'A' squad for India tour in September

New Zealand on Friday announced a strong 'A' squad, including seven cricketers with international experience, for their upcoming tour of India featuring both red- and white-ball series in September.

The other noticeable likely pick for the four-day games, as per sources, is Madhya Pradesh’s Rajat Patidar, who slammed 122 and 30 not out in his team’s maiden Ranji triumph in June this year. Just before that, Patidar also became the first Indian batsman to smash a hundred in the IPL knockouts, when he achieved the feat for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Apart from Mulani, the three other Mumbai players who could make it to the India ‘A’ squad for the four-day games are pace-bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur and batsmen Sarfaraz Khan and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Off-spinning allrounder Washington Sundar, who missed the ongoing ODI tour of Zimbabwe after suffering a shoulder injury in the UK, will be picked for both