India vs NZ Test match: Suryakumar Yadav added to Team India squad for the two-match Test series versus New Zealand beginning from Nov 25.
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Team India’s explosive limited Overs batter Suryakumar Yadav has been included in the 16-men Test squad that is set to face the Kiwi challenge in a two-match Test series from November 25.
As per the news media outlets Times of India (TOI) and Mid-Day, the 31-year-old was told to board the Indian team flight en route to Kanpur (the venue for the first Test match) after the win in the third T20I versus the Kiwis at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday.
Suryakumar was originally dropped from the Test team for the two Test matches. But as per the above sources, he will now be travelling to Kanpur with other members of the Test team.
“Suryakumar will be making a comeback to the Test team. He will join India’s Test team in Kanpur from Kolkata,” the source said.
A digital appearance in the morning for some of the T20 squad and then departure time for the Test squad to Kanpur. #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/u6gecaG4T0
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 22, 2021
India vs NZ Test match: Suryakumar Yadav an addition or replacement?
However, it remains to be confirmed whether Yadav has been included in the side for the two Tests as a player replacement or as an extra addition to the squad.
It is worth of a mention, that Suryakumar Yadav, along with another opening batter Prithvi Shaw were included in the squad for the away Test series against England which took place in August-September this year. Both the batters were in Sri Lanka for the white-ball series against the hosts and weren’t available for the first two Test matches. They joined the team for the final three Tests.
Earlier, Suryakumar was dropped for the upcoming home series while Shaw has been sent to South Africa for the three unofficial Test matches against the hosts. The unofficial Test matches kick off from November 23.
With Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer (who is yet to make his Test debut) already in contention for the vacant spot in the middle-order, it would be interesting to see where Yadav could fit in if he indeed is in the plans for an inclusion in the Playing 11.
Also, with the selectors being massively criticised by fans and expert of the game after they excluded Hanuma Vihari from the squad without an official explanation, how much sense Yadav’s addition makes? Only time will tell.
