Tim Seifert blitz help New Zealand beat India in Hamilton

AUCKLAND: Batsman Tilak Varma may join the India A team for the third unofficial Test against New Zealand A, providing red-ball exposure as per the selectors' plan. The schedule permits him to play one four-day match before joining the ODI squad for the subsequent two encounters in Tauranga. However, Tilak will miss the first three ODIs from November 2 to the fourth ODI on November 13.

Southpaw Varma could soon be called upon to join India A in Christchurch, with the third unofficial Test commencing on November 7 at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln.

Meanwhile, India's premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah departs for New Zealand on November 1 from Bengaluru. Bumrah checked into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) on October 25 for a routine assessment before the forthcoming matches. He adhered to all necessary criteria before embarking on his journey. The source revealed that Bumrah did not travel to the CoE to augment his workload. Rather, it was a standard assessment, and he has successfully met all requirements before boarding the flight.

As planned, Bumrah was supposed to travel alongside wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE. However, Pant's Return to Play (RTP) has been postponed. The Afghan-born cricketer remains uncertain for the third unofficial Test and will continue his recovery under the vigilant supervision of the BCCI medical team at the CoE.