Summary:
Kanpur, Nov 24 (PTI) A captain battling existential crisis, a veteran pacer about to be phased out and a white-ball maverick trying to earn his red-ball stripes makes for a heady combination as Ajinkya Rahane"s second-string India aim to size up a gritty New Zealand in first Test starting Thursday.
Rahane, with his career on line, gets to lead India may be one last time while 100-Test veteran Ishant Sharma will be praying that young turk Mohammed Siraj doesn"t nudge him out.
Who ever gets into playing XI, Suryakumar Yadav or Shreyas Iyer, there aim will be to reaffirm "Bombay (not Mumbai) School of Batsmanship" whose philosophy transcends beyond the white-ball riches of Indian Premier League.
It is indeed a rarity to find an Indian Test team that is without its hit opening pair of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.
Also missing from line-up is skipper Virat Kohli and a genuine match-winning keeper-batter Rishabh Pant.
But this also gives head coach Rahul Dravid a chance to check out what his back-up bench strength is before the away tour of South Africa which starts in less than a month"s time.