India will soon take on New Zealand in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series. Until then, many Indian cricketers are busy with the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
This is a domestic 50-over tournament where experienced and young stars compete to make a case for national team selections. Only two rounds have been played in the on-going edition so far, but some players have raised eyebrows.
With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) yet to announce the squad for the IND vs NZ ODI series, these two players might receive well-deserved call-ups.
Two Players Who Could Be Selected For IND vs NZ ODI Series
1) Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan had been an integral part of the Indian team in the early 2020s, but he would struggle for game time and eventually faded out of the picture.
Nevertheless, the southpaw has been on a resurgance, having led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title, and scoring a 33-ball ton (second fastest List A century by an Indian ever) in the state’s Vijay Hazare Trophy opener.
He has already been selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and the BCCI might look to integrate him in the national team setup with the ODI series against New Zealand itself based on his recent performances.
2) Devdutt Padikkal
Karnataka’s Devdutt Padikkal has played for India in Test cricket and T20Is, but is yet to appear in ODIs.
It is difficult for a top order batsman to make space for himself given the abdundance of talent in the current scenario, but Padikkal’s Vijay Hazare Trophy outings, thus far, do make a case.
He is currently the leading run-scorer in the tournament, having scored 147 off 118, and 123 off 137 deliveries in them as an opening batsman.
Padikkal may not get any game time with Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal likely there to fill the spots against New Zealand, but he could at least be rewarded with a call-up for these performances.
