Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna part of India A squad to face New Zealand A
Umran Malik, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sarfaraz Khan also make the cut for the three four-day games
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Aug-2022
Kuldeep Yadav is among those with international experience in the India A squad • Associated Press
Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna have been named among a contingent of international players in the India A squad to face New Zealand A over the course of three unofficial Tests starting on September 1.
A majority of the 16-member squad consists of up-and-comers such as Umran Malik, the Jammu & Kashmir fast bowler, who lit up IPL 2022 with his ability to bowl at 150kph, and Tilak Varma, the Hyderabad batter who earned high praise from Mahela Jayawardene while playing for Mumbai Indians.
A couple of India A mainstays - Priyank Panchal, who will captain the side, and Abhimanyu Easwaran - are to shoulder most of the batting burden in the long-form matches. Both players have an enviable record in first-class cricket as well as the experience of being around India's Test squad.
Also part of the squad are Rajat Patidar, who scored a century in an IPL knockout match this year; Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been travelling with India's white-ball teams as back-up opener; KS Bharat, widely regarded as Rishabh Pant's understudy in Test cricket; and Sarfaraz Khan, the top run-getter in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy with 982 from nine innings.
India A and New Zealand A will play each other across three first-class matches to be held in Bengaluru and Hubli between September 1 and 18, and three 50-over matches to be held in Chennai between September 22 and 27. New Zealand A have named a strong squad for the tour.