Hardik Pandya to Captain India A vs Australia in 3-Day Warm-up Match

All-rounder Hardik Pandya will captain an India A side in a three-day warm-up game against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium from February 16-18. The India A squad is full of players who have done well in the Ranji Trophy. The team includes top-scorer Priyank Panchal of Gujarat, Services batsman G Rahul Singh, who has had a phenomenal season in the Plate Group scoring 945 runs at an average of 72 plus.

Selectors have now made it amply clear that Ishan Kishan is being groomed as glovesman for future longer format while Rishabh Pant is being looked purely as a batsman in this category. The lesser known of the Baba twins -- Baba Indrajith has also got rewarded for his consistency.

Maharashtra's Ankit Bawne also got his chance for scoring an unbeaten 351 not out against Delhi and a total of 687 runs.

Some of the players have been oicked up purely on the basis of potential like young Delhi speedster Navdeep Saini, who is being spoken highly in Delhi cricket circuit. The wiry fast medium bowler works up a brisk pace. Pacer Mohammed Siraj, who recently played for Rest of India has also been named. Ditto for Mumbai opener Akhil Herwadkar. The highly rated Shreyas Iyer is also in the squad.

Karnataka off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav are also in the squad with Ranji Trophy's highest wicket-taker Shahbaz Nadeem also in the squad.

The only above 30 player in the team is veteran Bengal speedster Ashok Dinda, who defied age to get 39 wickets.

India A: Hardik Pandya (Captain), 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.

(With inputs from PTI)