India's newly-appointed T20I captain Rohit Sharma, senior pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant are likely to be rested for the two-match Test series against New Zealand, according to a report by Cricbuzz.

The selectors have also decided to rest skipper Virat Kohli for the first Test in Kanpur from November 25-29 with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane to lead the team. Bumrah, Shami and Kohli have already been rested for the three-match T20I series from November 17-21.

Majority of the players who were rested for the T20Is were on the road since June starting with the World Test Championship final in England which has prompted the selectors to take the decision.

"The induction of Rahul Dravid into the national team as head coach has also led to some new ideas and the former captain, who has been managing the rehab and injuries of the players as the head of the National Cricket Academy for last three years, is understood to be insistent that the players need to be protected for fatigue and workload. He is of view that the players need regular breaks to be impactful," the report said.

It will be a first outing for Dravid as the senior men's team's head coach replacing Ravi Shastri in the dressing room. Kohli had recently stepped down as the T20I captain after India's exit from the T20 World Cup in the Super 12s stage.