Fast bowler Akash Deep is in line for a return to India’s Test squad as the selectors prepare to pick three different squads for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

The tour will begin with the T20I series on October 22, followed by five ODIs and two Tests.

Akash, 29, recently made his return to competitive cricket after spending nearly seven months on the sidelines with a lower-back stress injury. He impressed in the Irani Cup, taking six wickets for 68 runs across two innings while bowling close to 24 overs.

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According to a BCCI official, the Indian team management had asked the Rest of India coaching staff to manage Akash carefully during the Irani Cup, with an eye on his return to the national side.

Selectors to Meet This Week

The four-member selection committee, headed by Pragyan Ojha, is expected to meet on Tuesday or Wednesday to finalise the squads.

Apart from the senior teams, the selectors will also pick the India A squad for the shadow tour of New Zealand.

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India A are scheduled to play three unofficial four-day Tests between October 24 and November 10. The matches are expected to give several players valuable preparation ahead of India’s two World Test Championship matches against New Zealand.

Tough Calls for ODI and Test Squads

The T20I squad is unlikely to give the selectors too many headaches. Most of the players who were part of India’s Asian Games-winning team and the current West Indies series are expected to retain their places.

The bigger challenge will be picking the ODI and Test squads.

There is only a four-day gap between India’s final ODI, scheduled for November 15 in Tauranga, and the first Test in Wellington on November 19.

With one of those days likely to be used for travel, India will have only around three days to prepare for the Test.

Several players are also expected to feature in both formats. They include captain Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Fitness Concerns for Prasidh, Gurnoor

Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar are also expected to be considered for the New Zealand tour, although their selection will depend on their fitness.

The overlap between the India A matches and the ODI series could also force the selectors to make some changes.

The first three ODIs are scheduled for November 4, 7 and 10, which clash with the India A four-day matches. As a result, some players could be released from the A team to join the senior side for the ODIs.

Test Specialists Could Play India A Matches

Some players who are expected to feature mainly in the Test format could instead use the India A matches to get valuable match practice.

Rishabh Pant, who is expected to be India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Tests, Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal and reserve opener Sai Sudharsan are among those likely to play at least one of the three unofficial Tests.

The India A series will give these players a chance to get used to the conditions before the senior team’s two-Test series begins.