The squad is without a number of first-choice players including Kohli, Bumrah, Jadeja and Shami
The squad is without a number of first-choice players, among whom are Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami. All four have been on the road virtually non-stop since the start of India’s tour of England – which began with the World Test Championship final in June – which was followed by the IPL and then the T20 World Cup, which India exited at the Super 12s stage. The allrounder Hardik Pandya and the fast bowler Shardul Thakur are also absent from he squad.
Of the players who were part of India’s squads for both the England tour and the T20 World Cup, only Rohit, Rahul, Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin and Suryakumar Yadav – who was flown into the England tour as a replacement for the injured Shubman Gill – have found a place in the squad against New Zealand.
India squad for T20Is against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (capt), KL Rahul (vice-capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj.
More to follow…