New Zealand A vs India A, 2018: 1st unofficial Test match – Dream11 Fantasy Tips

India A’s tour of New Zealand will begin with first of the three-match unofficial Tests in Mount Maunganui which will serve as a warm-up for the Indian Test specialists. As many as six players in the squad of first unofficial Test are a part of the Indian Test squad for the 4-match Test series in Australia. The limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma was also included in this squad but was rested from the fixture as the T20I series in Australia starts on the very next day.

This game will be a crucial one for Murali Vijay, who was dropped from the Test squad recently. His exploits in the County Championship helped him make a return to the team ahead of the crucial series. A big knock in this game could well ensure he is a part of the starting XI. Ajinkya Rahane, the captain of India A also needs a few runs under his belt going into Test series. Given his recent inconsistency, the vice-captain of the Indian Test team could end up losing his place in the playing XI to Hanuma Vihari or Rohit.

Match Details:

The first unofficial Test match between India A and New Zealand A will be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

The match will begin on 16th November 2018 at 11:00 AM local time (10:00 PM GMT) (3:30 AM IST).

Pitch Condition/Report:

In the seven first-class matches that Maunganui hosted, five of them produced results with the team batting second winning. The lone game played this season witnessed both the teams getting bowled out on the opening day aggregating 230 runs. This has been a trend at this venue where the pitch gets better for batsmen as the match progresses.

Squads:

New Zealand A:

George Worker, Will Young, Tim Seifert, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Dane Cleaver, Doug Bracewell, Kyle Jamieson, Seth Rance, Blair Tickner, Scott Kuggeleijn, Logan van Beek, Theo van Woerkom.

India A:

Murali Vijay, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Parthiv Patel, Krishnappa Gowtham, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Rajneesh Gurbani, Vijay Shankar, Srikar Bharat.

Probable XI:

New Zealand A: 

Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, George Worker, Will Young, Tim Seifert, Dane Cleaver, Logan van Beek, Doug Bracewell, Kyle Jamieson, Seth Rance, Scott Kuggeleijn.

India A:

Ajinkya Rahane (C), Murali Vijay, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Parthiv Patel, Krishnappa Gowtham/Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Rajneesh Gurbani.

Power Picks:

The 18-year-old Rachin Ravindra made his senior debut playing for New Zealand A in UAE this month. He was compact with the bat scoring 173 runs across four innings at 57.67 including two fifties while batting at No.4. Rajneesh Gurbani is impactful in the longer version of the game due to his seam presentation. New Zealand pitches might suit his bowling better.

Best Playing XI:

Parthiv Patel, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Will Young, Scott Kuggeleijn, Rachin Ravindra, Mohammed Siraj, Rajneesh Gurbani, Logan van Beek, Seth Rance.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Mohammed Siraj would be the first name to pop up while picking multipliers as the pacer claimed 40 wickets in only five first-class matches while playing for India A in 2018. He averages 15.07 and has a strike-rate of 28.9 with the ball. Siraj claimed at least three wickets in all the nine innings he bowled while playing for the India A team.

Logan van Beek’s all-rounder ability, Will Young’s recent consistency is a considerable factor for New Zealand A squad. Prithvi Shaw won’t be a bad option for a multiplier but cannot be considered directly without having a better idea of the pitch. Hanuma Vihari could bowl quite a few overs keeping the Australia Test series where India might play six batsmen in absence of Hardik Pandya.

Expert Advice:

If conditions are expected to be in favour of the pacers, India A might consider playing Deepak Chahar ahead of Shahbaz Nadeem. India A has two wicketkeepers in their squad – Parthiv Patel and KS Bharat. AS Parthiv is in the Test squad, he is expected to play ahead of Bharat. The young keeper from Andhra is anyways a part of the last two unofficial Tests as well.

Probable Winners:

India A’s bowling could well prove handy irrespective of the conditions at the Bay Oval. The team batting second could have an edge but India’s batting might as well decide the fate of the game.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

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