India vs New Zealand: Reason behind Shreyas Iyer's selection for Test series revealed

The Indian Test squad that was selected for the series against New Zealand has drawn a lot of eyeballs, and many decisions taken by the selectors have come under the spotlight. Rohit Sharma will not be available for the entire Test series against the Kiwis, while Virat Kohli will miss the first Test.

Ajinkya Rahane will lead the Indian cricket team for the first Test match against the Black Caps. Also, apart from Sharma, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, and Rishabh Pant will also skip the Test series as well.

Hanuma Vihari has been overlooked for the Test series, and Shreyas Iyer was drafted into the Test squad. Iyer has not played a single Test match for the Indian side.

Shreyas Iyer is prepared as a backup option in the middle order

Shreyas Iyer has been selected in the Indian Test squad so that the right-hander can be groomed as a backup option in the Indian middle-order in red-ball cricket. Hanuma Vihari and Prithvi Shaw have been sent with the Indian A-Team to South Africa so that the two cricketers can get assimilated to the conditions in South Africa ahead of India’s three-match Test series against the Proteas in December.

A source also stated that Head Coach Rahul Dravid wanted shadow A tours to take place ahead of India’s away tours. And, that was the rationale behind sending Vihari and Shaw to South Africa. The source also stated that the likes of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja can also be used as batting options as well.

“One must remember Dravid had advocated for shadow ‘A’ tours. before every big away tour. Anyway, a larger squad will be there in South Africa. This allows Vihari and Prithvi to get used to the conditions and if they do well they will be inducted into the Test team in South Africa. Anyway, India never needed specialist batters till No. 7 in India. Ravindra Jadeja can bat up the order and R Ashwin too has been good on Indian pitches,” stated the source.