Fit Prithvi Shaw set to join India A in New Zealand; likely to be picked in India's Test squad

Prithvi Shaw has recovered from the shoulder injury and also passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Tuesday. He will now join India A in New Zealand and will also play the five-match unofficial One-Day series starting on January 22. Shaw missed the two warm-up matches in the lead up to the contest even as the Indian selectors had also delayed the announcement of Test squad for New Zealand tour.

The Mumbai cricketer had sustained a shoulder injury after diving to save an overthrow in a Ranji Trophy clash against Karnataka. He was soon pulled out of the game as well with India needing him for the upcoming tour. While the T20I squad for the series against the Kiwis was announced on Sunday (January 12), it has been reported that the selectors were keen to wait for an update on Shaw’s fitness.

Prithvi Shaw will fly to New Zealand in the next couple of days and train alongside his India A teammates. “He cleared the mandatory yo-yo test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Tuesday morning. He should be flying on the 16th or 17th of January to join the India A side in New Zealand,” a source confirmed to the Times of India.

Prithvi Shaw to be picked as the third opener in India’s Test team

India are likely to announce the ODI and Test squad for the New Zealand tour after the ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia which concludes on January 19. Even as the selectors waited for Prithvi Shaw to get fit, they also wanted more clarity on Hardik Pandya‘s availability for the tour which delayed the squad announcement. Pandya has sought for more time to recover from his back injury and might miss the action for another month or so.

“We have a few issues to sort out. The teams for the ODIs and Tests in New Zealand will be picked after the ODI series in India,” the source further added. Meanwhile, with Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal doing well at the top in Tests, Prithvi Shaw will most likely to be selected as the back-up opener for New Zealand Tests.

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