Milestone hunt for Indian stars as 1st NZ Test draws closer

India will be hoping to continue their home domination as they take on New Zealand for a three-match Test series from October 16, starting with the first Test in Bengaluru. India has been extremely dominant in Test conditions, having not lost a Test series at home since their 1-2 loss to England in the 2012-13 season. Since then, India has won 18 successive Test series at home and has been undefeated in a series since over 4,000 days.

Star India batter Virat Kohli is nearing a landmark, just 53 runs short of 9,000 Test runs and becoming only fourth Indian player to do so. In 115 Tests and 195 innings, he has scored 8,947 runs at an average of 48.89, with 29 centuries and 30 fifties. His best score is 254*.

Young Indian star Shubman Gill is also closing in on 2,000 Test runs and 5,000 international runs. One of the rising stars of Indian cricket, hyped as the next heir apparent to the legacy of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat, Gill has scored 1,656 runs in 27 Tests and 50 innings at an average of 36.80, with five centuries and six fifties. His best score is 128. He is just 344 runs from getting to 2,000 Test runs.

Also, he is on track to getting to 5,000 international runs, currently having made 4,562 runs in 95 matches and 118 innings at an average of 43.86, with 12 centuries 22 fifties and the best score of 208.

The young and explosive Yashasvi Jaiswal is reaching milestones and records effortlessly this year. He is just 60 runs away from getting to 2,000 international runs, despite not playing ODIs. In 34 matches and 42 innings across Tests and T20Is, he has scored 1,940 runs at an average of 49.74 and a fine strike rate of 90.73, with four centuries and 12 fifties in 42 innings. His best score is 214*.

Also, sitting at 29 sixes this year, he is just five more hits away from breaking NZ great Brendon McCullum's record of 33 sixes, which is the most by a player in Tests during a calendar year.

Middle-order batter KL Rahul would be aiming to get some more runs and consistency under his belt as he gears up for an even tougher Australian tour. He is just 31 runs away from scoring 3,000 Test runs. In 52 matches and 89 innings, he has made 2,969 runs at an average of 34.52, with eight centuries and 15 fifties. His best score is 199.

India's swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter is also some heavy runs away from 5,000 international runs, just 488 runs away from the milestone. In 142 international appearances, he has scored 4,512 runs in 153 innings at an average of 33.92, with seven tons and 19 fifties. His best score is 159*.

Ace spinner Kuldeep Yadav is also just six wickets short of 300 international wickets, becoming only 13th Indian to do so. In 158 international appearances, he has 294 wickets at an average of 22.30, with best bowling figures of 6/25.

India named a 15-player squad on Friday for the upcoming three Tests against New Zealand, beginning on October 16 in Bengaluru. For the Bangladesh Tests, with Rohit Sharma leading the side, India left the position of vice-captain vacant. But this time, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been officially appointed as Rohit's deputy for the three Tests.

Following the conclusion of the series, pacer Tim Southee decided to step down from the captaincy, and Tom Latham will lead New Zealand during the three Tests against India.

India's squad for the three Tests against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.Travelling reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.

New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (C), Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell (1st Test only), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi (2nd and 3rd Test only), Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young. (ANI)