Hardik Pandya to lead India A against Australia
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All-rounder Hardik Pandya will lead India A in a three-day game against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai from Feb 16 in the lead-up to the four-Test series. The first Test will be played in Pune from Feb 23, with the other three to be held in Bengaluru, Ranchi and Dharamsala.
Pandya has played seven ODIs and 18 T20I but is yet to make his Test debut. The Baroda cricketer was named in the Indian squad for the one-off Test against Bangladesh to be played in Hyderabad from Feb 9, and the preceding warm-up game against the Test minnows.
Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal, who made a staggering 1413 runs in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy, finds a place along with Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer.
Mumbai opener Akhil Herwadkar and Himachal Pradesh wicketkeeper Ankit Bawne figure in the 15. Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is in the squad, although his former India Under-19 skipper Ishan Kishan is the designated wicketkeeper.
Haryana's Navdeep Saini, former India bowler Ashok Dinda and young Hyderabad sensation Mohammed Siraj form the pace attack along with Pandya while K Gowtham, Shahbaz
India A squad: Hardik Pandya (C), Akhil Herwadkar, Priyank Kirit Panchal, Shreyas Iyer, Ankit Bawne, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shahbaz Nadeem, Krishnappa Gowtham, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Ashok Dinda, Mohammed Siraj, Rahul Singh, Baba Indrajith
