Jeet Raval bravely batted in the third test after suffering from illness but his international future is under a serious cloud.

ANALYSIS: Nathan Lyon provocatively stated two years ago that he and his Australian team-mates would like to "end careers" ahead of an Ashes series.

After New Zealand's humbling 3-0 test series defeat – their first such scoreline in nine three-test series in Australia – an increasing number of the 17 players used will be looking over their shoulders ahead of India's arrival.

Notably, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry, all of whom are unlikely to make New Zealand's 13-man squad for the first test in Wellington starting February 21.

ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT Fringe men Kyle Jamieson, Tom Blundell, Todd Astle and Jeet Raval during the national anthems on day one of the third test.

At 31, Raval's 24-test career looks the most tenuous after his horror season, Tom Blundell's wonderful start to his reinvention as an opener in Melbourne and Will Young's gradual return from shoulder surgery which saw him make runs for Central Districts A last week.

READ MORE:

* Stead: Kane to lead T20

* Taylor's tears for mentor

* Black Caps player ratings

* Gutless Black Caps blew it

Then there's South African run machine Devon Conway who enters the frame as a top order option in all three formats when he becomes eligible for New Zealand in September.

Raval will likely get a chance to impress for New Zealand A against India A in two first-class matches starting in Christchurch on January 30, then hope for a prolific run for Auckland when Plunket Shield resumes in late February to stop the permanent marker which is hovering above his name.

ANDREW BROWNBILL/AP Mitchell Santner may struggle for test chances after a poor tour of Australia.

Blundell will continue opening but could also drop down and take the gloves if BJ Watling suffered injury, while busy debutant Glenn Phillips looked the part and appeals to take over Blundell's role as batting backup.

Santner closely followed Raval as one of the baffling selections on this tour, retained one test too far then struck down by the flu in Sydney after taking 1-250 in Perth and Melbourne.

Legspinner Todd Astle took 3-152 off 40 overs at the SCG in an overdue recall and should have snared Marnus Labuschagne twice but for a dropped return catch.

RYAN PIERSE/GETTY IMAGES The busy Glenn Phillips looked the part against Australia in the third test.

Astle earned the praise of commentating former legspinners Kerry O'Keeffe and Shane Warne, the latter saying of Astle's round-arm action: "A good wrong 'un, he turns the ball… he's going to take wickets at this level."

He also batted well at No 8 and looks the clear frontrunner for the sole spin berth against India.

​Santner – a container not a red ball wicket-taker – should be No 5 in a test spin pecking order of Astle, Ajaz Patel, Will Somerville and Ish Sodhi. In Twenty20 World Cup year, white ball wizard Santner's red ball career needs to be put on ice.

Somerville had a disappointing return to the SCG but should still make the cut for the Bangladesh tour in August alongside Astle and Patel.

In the pace ranks, the fitness race for Trent Boult (broken hand), Lockie Ferguson (calf strain) and Henry (broken thumb) will be closely watched.

ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT With his left thumb bandaged, Matt Henry, right, struggled to make an impact against Australia and now faces an uncertain future.

Coach Gary Stead said Ferguson (early February) should be the earliest to return and he was confident Boult would be fit for the Basin Reserve on February 21.

Ferguson needs to be persevered with after the Australians showed again how damaging accurate 145kmh pace can be.

ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT New Zealand opening batsman Tom Blundell celebrates his century at the MCG.

The Auckland fast bowler should have played England in Hamilton and was thrown in at Perth on a brief first-class appearance and some white ball cricket. He broke down after 11 overs but will be considered for impact value in the squad for India.

With a broken thumb Henry took 2-148 off 44 overs in Sydney, tipping his bowling average over 50 from 12 tests. In a pace quartet of Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Ferguson, Henry struggles to make the squad unless injuries strike, while Kyle Jamieson was an intriguing bowler who could challenge for more tours if he has a big end to the season for New Zealand A and Auckland.

Stead said mass changes are unlikely in the test ranks, especially among a side who won six and drew one of their previous seven series.

"It would be silly to have kneejerk reactions about coming to Australia which is one of the two toughest places in the world to tour.

"It's not like we have thousands of cricketers in a population base that allows us to make wholesale changes. We'll think about it and review what's happened and find the good and work out where we can keep making improvements."

AT A GLANCE

Likely 13-man squad for India test series: Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson.

*comments on this article have been closed