Prithvi Shaw has been included in the 16-man India Test squad for the two-match series in New Zealand, which also features the fit-again Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma.

However, Ishant's participation will be subject to a fitness clearance, following a grade-three tear in an ankle during the Ranji Trophy in January.

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The injury to Rohit Sharma, which necessitated the inclusion of Shubman Gill for the Tests - though he was in the frame in India's last Test series, at home against Bangladesh last year - has also meant Mayank Agarwal getting a place in the squad for the three-ODI series that starts on Wednesday.

Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, who had been part of the squad for the home series against Bangladesh last year, was left out while reserve wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant retained his place. India picked two spinners in R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and five seamers, including 27-year-old Navdeep Saini, who is uncapped in Test cricket.

In the injury-enforced absence of Rohit, Shaw is in line to partner Agarwal at the top, with Gill likely to be the reserve opener. Shaw had last played Test cricket in October 2018. After cracking a 154-ball 134 on debut in Rajkot, Shaw was selected for the following Australia tour, but an ankle injury sidelined him from the entire series. Later in 2019, Shaw was suspended for a doping violation. As a result, he missed the West Indies tour and then the home series against West Indies as well as Bangladesh.

Upon returning to action in the Ranji Trophy, Shaw sustained a shoulder injury, but recovered in time, and proved his form and fitness for India A on their shadow tour of New Zealand. Earlier during the Ranji Trophy, he had hit a career-best 202 against Baroda, setting up a massive victory for Mumbai.

Bumrah, too, had missed the home Test series against South Africa and Bangladesh with injury, and eased his way back into action during the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. In January, he had also been pulled out of the Ranji Trophy, but has now regained his rhythm after playing a starring role in India's 5-0 sweep of New Zealand in the T20I series. Bumrah will also be in action in the three-match ODI series, which starts on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Test specialists R Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane will tune up for the Tests by turning out for India A in the second four-day fixture, which begins on February 7.

The first Test will begin in Wellington on February 21 and the second in Christchurch on February 29.