IND vs NZ | 2nd Test: India to take late call on Wriddhiman Saha's fitness as Virat Kohli returns

India will take a call on Wriddhiman Saha’s injury and fitness on the eve of the second Test starting December 03 in Mumbai. Saha was suffering from a stiff neck in the first Test and did not keep wickets for most parts of the Test with Srikar Bharat doing the duties behind the wicket.

“We will take a call closer to the game. Physios are in constant touch with Rahul and Virat. Closer to the game, we can take a call on what condition he is in. Whatever he did in the last game was a fabulous effort. It was painful to bat, but he raised his hands and delivered for the team,” bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said.

India are set to welcome the full-time skipper Virat Kohli for the first Test after he opted for rest during the first game of the series. He has given himself and the team management a conundrum which Mhambrey called a “good headache” as Shreyas Iyer announced his arrival at the Test level in a grand style. 

Now, they have to take a tough call on choosing one among Iyer, experienced but under pressure duo of vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara to leave out in order to accommodate Kohli in the playing XI.

Mhambrey said that the performance by Iyer on his Test debut established the volume of talent available in Indian cricket and emphasized that the team management is cherishing such sort of selection dilemmas.

He did not give any hint of what the management is thinking about considering the team selection but threw his weight behind Rahane and Pujara and said that they are just one good innings away from regaining their best touch with the bat.

“It is a good (headache) We have so much talent available and that speaks volumes about Indian cricket. With youngsters coming up, we want to give them an opportunity and someone like Shreyas comes up with a 100 and follows up with a 50 - that’s fabulous. That speaks volumes about Indian cricket and the way forward. But then, we have to see the combinations that would suit the particular wicket. We are happy to have that kind of problem,” Mhambrey said.

“It is both for Ajinkya and Pujara - they have huge experience. We also know that they are one innings away [from finding form]. We are backing them. They have played enough cricket to understand what is expected from them and get going,” the bowling coach said.

If Saha gets ruled out and Bharat makes his Test debut, it also opens another door of team combination for India as he can be asked to open in place of either Mayank Agarwal or Shubman Gill with the middle order remaining the same with Kohli, Rahane and Iyer batting at consecutive positions.