(Cricket news) After whitewashing New Zealand in the T20Is Rahul Dravid and Co will now turn their attention to the 2 Tests. Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side for the first Test in Kanpur before Virat Kohli joins the team in Mumbai for the 2nd Test. 

Here is India's ideal Playing XI for the qst Test:

Openers: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal

KL Rahul was presented with a golden opportunity to make his Test comeback in England and the opener made the most of it. He performed really well and earned his place back in the side. He now has a good opportunity to fix his place in the side by getting a few runs in home conditions. With Rohit Sharma, he will be opening with one of his competitors. His 199 against England in Chennai way back in 2016 is the only century KL Rahul has in home Test matches. A chunk of runs in these two Tests would do his confidence a world of good before the South Africa tour. Possibly the unluckiest player in the Indian Test set-up, Mayank Agarwal has been consistently good ever since his Test debut at the MCG. A couple of bad games against Australia at the end of last year cost him his place as Shubhman Gill took over. He was supposed to get an opportunity in the first Test against England after an injury to Gill but a concussion during net practice meant that KL Rahul got an opportunity. Rahul's incredible performance has kept Mayank out of the side. Shubhman Gill is another option but his poor run of form since the legendary Gabba Test could mean that Mayank Agarwal get's a lot of preference. 

Middle order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane pick themselves. Despite being inconsistent over the past two years the pair have got India out of jail a lot of times. Pujara didn't get runs in the first two Tests in England but got his touch back in the next two. Rahane is the captain therefore he will definitely play. He will have to score a good amount of runs to stay in the side. Shreyas Iyer is likely to make his Test debut after being named in the squad. There is a choice of playing either Gill or Agarwal in the middle order but Iyer is named in the squad to get some experience so that he can be a valuable cover for Rahane and Pujara in the future. He will most likely have only one Test to prove himself as Virat Kohli could take his place in the 2nd Test.

Wicket keeper: Wriddhiman Saha

The gloveman has been 2nd choice since the re-emergence of Rishabh Pant who has been rested. This provides a good opportunity for Saha to put a little pressure on Pant and be ready if his services are needed in South Africa. K.S Bharat is the other keeper in the squad but Saha is the clear choice for the 2 Tests.

Also read: India put T20 World Cup disappointment behind with a series whitewash against New Zealand

Spin bowling All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin

In Indian conditions, Ashwin and Jadeja have the ability to bowl out any side in the world. Axar Patel is a good addition to the side. He will get a reward for his player of the series performance against England last time around. He is also high on confidence after a good T20I series against New Zealand. Jayant Yadav is another option if India want to try off spinners. There is a chance that India plays with only four bowlers in which case Axar Patel will miss out in favour of a pure batter which according to this XI would be Shubhman Gill.

Seamers: Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma

Mohammed Siraj is expected to be fit for the Test but regardless of that Umesh and Ishant should be India's seamers. The pair with all their experience are possibly the best executors of reverse swing. Since the Australia tour Mohammed Siraj has been ahead of both Ishant and Umesh but in Indian conditions the senior bowlers should get the opportunity. The injury Siraj suffered in the 1st T20I is another reason to give him some time off the field with South Africa Test's in mind. Prasidh Krishna is another seam bowling option in the squad.