Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav named in India A squad for NZ series

Tilak Varma and Kuldeep Yadav are the notable names picked in the India A squad for the forthcoming four day games against New Zealand A. The Indian Cricket Board on Wednesday (August 24) announced a potent 16 member squad for the three matches that are scheduled to be held in Bangalore and Hubli the following month. 

As per reports, Priyank Panchal has been elected as the skipper for the series. Panchal had earlier led the team against the Proteas. Tilak Varma, who has played just four first class matches, was majestic for the men in blue during the last Under-19 World Series and was in sumptuous touch in his maiden Indian T20 League campaign this year for Mumbai. Kuldeep Yadav on the other hand has had a hot and cold year thus far. He’s been in and out of the India side and this series will present him a solid opportunity to regain form and make an emphatic comeback post his injury woes. 

The selectors have also picked Prasidh Krishna in the squad even though he has represented the senior team on quite a few occasions in recent times. The top two run getters of the 2021-22 Indian Domestic Trophy- Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar have also made it to the squad. While the likes of Prithwi Shaw and Devdutt Patidar went to South Africa, the selectors opted for Ruturaj Gaikwad this time.  

In the bowling prowess, besides Prasidh and Kuldeep, Umran malik and Arzan Nagwaswalla retain their places whereas Yash Dayal and Mukesh Kumar have managed to get in ahead of Ishan Porel and Navdeep Saini. 

The first four day contest will commence from September 1. The teams will also play each other in three one-day games in Chennai post the conclusion of the red ball series

Squad: Priyank Panchal (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraaz Khan, Tilak Varma, KS Bharat (wk), Upendra Yadav (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal, Arzan Nagwaswalla