IND vs NZ Live: Chahar, Kishan added – There will be no rest for Deepak Chahar and Ishan Kishan after the New Zealand series. Immediately after the 3rd T20 against New Zealand in Kolkata, they will fly to Bloemfontein and join the rest of the squad who have already reached South Africa. Hanuma Vihari was earlier added to the squad after dropping him for the Test series against NZ. Follow India A tour of South Africa Live on InsideSport.IN.
The side, which will be led by Priyank Panchal, will play three four-day matches against South Africa A from November 23 to December 9. Some of them are expected to make the squad for a full tour of South Africa.
“Yes, Deepak and Ishan have been drafted to the squad. They will finish the match in Kolkata and link up with the A team before they leave for South Africa,” a senior BCCI official confirmed the development to PTI.
IND vs NZ Live: After Hanuma Vihari, Ishan Kishan & Deepak Chahar to join India A squad for South Africa
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As per a report by Cricbuzz, apart from Deepak Chahar and Ishan Kishan, Shardul Thakur may also join the squad to stay fit for the South Africa series. Thakur has been rested for the Test series against New Zealand at home. Ishan Kishan and Deepak Chahar will arrive in Mumbai on Monday and will fly from there.
The decision to add Ishan Kishan was taken after Upendra Yadav was picked as the only wicket-keeper for the tour. With three four-day games, the selection committee decided to add Kishan. As for Deepak Chahar, he will be only fifth fast bowler on the tour after Navdeep Saini, Umran Malik, Ishan Porel and Arzan Nagwaswalla.
“They needed a second keeper who is better than Ishan. He probably now would be first keeper and rightly so,” another official said.
IND vs NZ Live: After Hanuma Vihari, Ishan Kishan & Deepak Chahar to join India A squad for South Africa
However, none of the two has played any red-ball cricket in two years. Deepak Chahar last played a First-Class match back in January 2019 against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy. Ishan Kishan last played in February 2020 in the Ranji Trophy. The tour will give both some much-required red-ball practice.
None of the players will need to quarantine in Bloemfontein. However, all the players’ movement will be restricted to their team hotel and ground.
As for coaching staff, Shitanshu Kotak will be the head coach for the tour while Sairaj Bahutule and T Ghosh will be the bowling and fielding coach for the series.
IND vs NZ Live: After Hanuma Vihari, Ishan Kishan & Deepak Chahar to join India A squad for South Africa
India ‘A’ squad: Priyank Panchal (Captain), Prithvi Shaw, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, Baba Aparajith, Upendra Yadav (wicket-keeper), K Gowtham, Rahul Chahar, Saurabh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Umran Malik, Ishan Porel, Arzan Nagwaswalla, Hanuma Vihari, Deepak Chahar, Ishan Kishan.
South Africa A squad: Pieter Malan (captain), Sarel Erwee, Dominic Hendricks, Raynard van Tonder, Sinethemba Qeshile, Senuran Muthusammy, Marco Jansen, Migael Pretorius, Beuran Hendricks, Lutho Sipamla, Glenton Stuurman, George Linde, Jason Smith, Tony de Zorzi.
IND vs NZ Live: After Hanuma Vihari, Ishan Kishan & Deepak Chahar to join India A squad for South Africa
