India vs New Zealand: Shreyas Iyer Debut in 1st Test? Here's the official update

After months of T20 cricket, Test cricket finally returns to India. Team India will take on New Zealand in the two-Test series. The first match will be played from 25th November in Kanpur while the second Test will be played in Mumbai from 3rd December. The Test series will be the part of ICC World Test Championship cycle 2021-23. Notably, the hosts whitewashed the visitors in the T20 series, which concluded a few days before.

Shreyas Iyer to make debut for India in Tests

The preparations for the first Test between India and New Zealand is underway. With the first game between the nations, just a sleep away, stand-in Indian skipper Ajinkya Rahane confirmed that Shreyas Iyer will make his debut for the nation in whites.

Rahane, who will lead the team for the first Test, while addressing the press conference confirmed the development.

“Shreyas Iyer is going to make his debut.” Rahane said.

With Shreyas Iyer set to make his debut for India in the first Test, the right-handed batter is likely bat at No.4.

With hosts set to play the game in absence of key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, the onus of India’s middle-order will be on the debutant Shreyas Iyer along with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.

Talking of Iyer’s first-class record, the right-handed batter has scored 4,592 runs in 54 games at a staggering average of 52.18. It would be interesting to see if he can make an impact for India in the whites or not.

India vs New Zealand: Probable Indian XI for the first match against New Zealand

With KL being ruled out of the Test series, the duo of Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill will open the batting for Team India with Pujara at No.3. Iyer and Rahane will bat in the middle while it is expected that Wriddhiman Saha will keep the wickets.

The hosts are likely to play three spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Axar Patel while Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav can be the two pacers in the side.

Here’s India’s possible XI for the first Test:

Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav

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