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Cricket PlayersSarfaraz Khan set for playing XI return as Shubman Gill in doubt for 1st New Zealand Test due to stiff neck
It is yet to be seen if India would prefer Sarfaraz Khan or KL Rahul at No. 3, in case Shubman Gill misses out.
Weeks after conquering Bangladesh in epic fashion at home, with a 2-0 whitewash, India are all set to take on New Zealand in a three-match contest, aiming for a similar result which could guarantee the team a ticket to the World Test Championship final for the third straight time. The Test series will begin on Wednesday in Bengaluru, before the caravan moves to Pune for the second Test next week, and ends in Mumbai with the third next month.
Ahead of the start of the series, India has been hit by an injury concern. Shubman Gill, owing to a stiff neck, is likely to miss the opener at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The India star recently smashed a century in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chennai, which was his third hundred in the format this year after scores of 104 and 110 against England earlier this year at home. The knocks have subsequently eased doubts over his No. 3 role in the India batting line-up.
Sarfaraz Khan set for India return
Gill's absence could unsettle a settled India batting line-up, but the team do have an able back-up in Sarfaraz, who has been waiting for a second opportunity since smashing three fifties in five innings in his international debut in the England Test series.
With KL Rahul back in the format last month, Sarfaraz failed to find a spot in the India plying XI against Bangladesh. But the Mumbai batter later returned to domestic cricket to smash a record knock of 222 in the Irani Cup match against Rest of India earlier this month.
However, it is yet to be seen if India would prefer Sarfaraz or Rahul at No. 3, in case Gill misses out.
India's main concern regarding the playing XI is whether they will field an extra spinner or a pacer against New Zealand, who head into the series on the back of a 0-2 whitewash in Sri Lanka last month. Captain Rohit Sharma's call will eventually depend on the conditions in Bengaluru at the time of the toss on Wednesday.
