Ishant Sharma To Undergo Fitness Test At NCA On Feb 15 Ahead Of NZ Test Series

Ishant Sharma had sustained an injury to his ankle while playing a Ranji Trophy game for Delhi against Vidarbha in January. The Test series against New Zealand is scheduled to start from February 21 in Wellington.

India's front-line seamer Ishant Sharma will undergo a fitness test on February 15 at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to confirm his participation in the two-Test series in New Zealand. Ishant Sharma had sustained an injury to his ankle while playing a Ranji Trophy game for Delhi against Vidarbha in January. The Test series against New Zealand is scheduled to start from February 21 in Wellington. As per reports, the Indian pacer was likely to be ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand, starting 21st February. However, latest developments on the matter reveal that Ishant has to undergo a fitness test by the end of February 15 to determine his chances of boarding the plane to New Zealand. As per reports, Sharma went to NCA to begin his rehab and has started bowling steadily, allowing the national selectors to include him in the 16-man Test squad for the New Zealand Test series subject to a "fitness clearance".

Ishant, who was supposed to travel to New Zealand with Umesh Yadav on February 6, will miss India's three-day practice game commencing on February 14. After playing a 5-match T2OI series and 3-match ODI series against New Zealand, India will take on the Black Caps in a 2-match Test series with the series opener slated to be played at the Basin Reserve at Wellington.