After a long wait of 5 years, Team India will be hosting New Zealand in a Test series as the two teams square off in two red-ball matches. Virat Kohli has been rested for the opening fixture of the series and Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the home team. Kohli will return to lead the side in the 2nd Test. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Burmah and Mohammed Shami have been rested for both the fixtures.

Before the start of the Test series, former India opener Gautam Gambhir shared his take on the team’s opening combination. Speaking to Star Sports, Gambhir picked Mayank Agarwal as KL Rahul’s opening partner while backing Shubman Gill to bat in the middle-order.

He further added that skipper Rahane is pretty fortunate to be part of the side. “I am going to open with Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul because he opened in England and then probably Shubman Gill will bat at No. 4. That’s what I would want to see and plus Rahane is pretty fortunate that he’s still part of this side because he’s leading… But again he’s got another opportunity now, hopefully, he can make that count,” Gambhir told Star Sports.

Rahane has had his struggles with the bat of late. The right-handed batsman scored 268 runs in 4 Tests against Australia in 2020/21. In the home series against England, Rahane averaged 18.66 for his 112 runs across 6 innings.

He scored 49 and 15 in the World Test Championship final but only managed 109 runs at 15.57 in the four Test matches that followed. The senior batsman needs some runs under his belt and will hope to return to form in the home series.

The opening Test of the series will be played in Kanpur from November 25 to 29 while Mumbai will host the 2nd game from December 3 to 7.