Wellington Firebirds Rachin Ravindra and Jimmy Neesham have been selected in a New Zealand XI squad to face India in a three-day match at Seddon Park, starting tomorrow.

Both players were involved in the New Zealand A matches against India A earlier in the tour, while Neesham was part of the BLACKCAPS squad that recently sweeped India 3-0 in the ODI series.

Neesham's inclusion provides the 29-year-old with a good opportunity to impress the BLACKCAPS Test selectors - the allrounder has played 12 Test matches, his last coming in 2017 against South Africa at the Basin Reserve.

Ravindra's inclusion is yet another sign that his international future looks bright.

He is one of three emerging batsmen included in the squad alongside Auckland's Finn Allen and Northern Disdtrict's Henry Cooper whom have been amongst the runs this season in various competitions.

Allen scored a century for a New Zealand XI against the touring England team at Cobham Oval, Cooper has impressed for Northern Districts in both the Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy, and Ravindra scored his maiden list A century for the Firebirds, while also featuring for New Zealand A.

Players from the Auckland Aces, Canterbury, and Otago Volts Ford Trophy squads were not considered for selection as they are involved in the Elimination Final and Final, and both matches cut across the NZ XI match. Allen was not included in the Aces Ford Trophy side for this weekend.

Given the three-dayer is considered a warm-up match for India and not an official first-class fixture, both teams will have the option of playing more than 11 players.

New Zealand XI:

Daryl Mitchell (Northern Knights) (c)

Finn Allen (Auckland Aces)

Tom Bruce (Central Stags)

Dane Cleaver (Central Stags)

Henry Cooper (Northern Knights)

Scott Kuggeleijn (Northern Knights)

James Neesham (Wellington Firebirds)

Rachin Ravindra (Wellington Firebirds)

Tim Seifert (Northern Knights)

Ish Sodhi (Northern Knights)

Blair Tickner (Central Stags)

Will Young (Central Stags)

13th men: 

Jake Gibson (Northern Knights, Friday)

Scott Johnston (Northern Knights, Saturday and Sunday)

Article added: Thursday 13 February 2020