New Zealand to give promising spinners chance to hone skills in sub-continent

New Zealand will send it's budding spinners on the A squad tour to India and Sri Lanka next month, as part of an initiative to groom replacements for veterans like Daniel Vettori.

According to the New Zealand Herald, Vettori is currently recovering from an operation on his troublesome Achilles, and there are question marks over veteran Bruce Martin's longevity, giving spinners like Todd Astle and Ish Sodhi a chance to display their skills in the subcontinent.

Todd Astle, who plays for Canterbury in New Zealand, was discarded after a poor Plunket Shield and Northern Districts' star Sodhi is highly regarded in the country, the report said.

The report added that with Otago trying its luck at the Champions League, three players are going to drop out after two games on the tour, which will present extra opportunities for new players.

The tour to India and Sri Lanka will be a mix of one, three and four-day matches and has been designed keeping in mind the future tours of New Zealand, most of which will be played in the sub-continent, the report further said.