The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named a 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match Test series New ZealandIt will begin on October 17 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The selection committee opted for continuity, keeping the same squad that won the two-match Test series against Bangladesh 2-0 recently. Currently sitting at the top World Test Championship (WTC) tournament table, India they will aim to extend their advantage in the upcoming series.
Jasprit Bumrah has been appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian team
This is one of the main points of the team announcement jasprit bumrahappointment of vice-captain. His consistent performances in the longest format have earned him this leadership role. The pacer has been a vital asset for India across all formats and his appointment reflects the confidence of the selectors in his ability to lead the team both on and off the field. Bumrah’s role will be crucial, especially Muhammad Shami He is still recovering from an injury that has sidelined him since the 2023 World Cup final.
Squad changes for New Zealand series
The only significant change in the squad is the omission Yash Dayalwhich is part of Bangladesh series but was left out for the New Zealand series. Meanwhile, Shami is unavailable as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. The experienced pacer has made it clear that he will not rush back until he is fully fit, preferring to avoid the risk of long-term injury. To provide depth, the BCCI has named four traveling reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.
Focus on emerging talent
Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv JurelNot included in the Bangladesh series, retained for the New Zealand Tests. Both players showed their talents during the game Iran Cup 2024Scored a remarkable double century for Sarfaraz mumbai and Jurel impressed with 97 points Rest of India. India may look to rotate their squad and give opportunities to these players along with others Akhar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav to ensure they are match fit ahead of the highly anticipated Australia series.
Also READ: New Zealand announce Test squad for India tour; Kane Williamson’s availability is uncertain
Test schedule and venue details
Bengaluru will travel to Pune for the second match after the first Test in India and New Zealand, followed by the third and final Test in Mumbai. While the Blackcaps left with a series defeat Sri Lanka and Tim Southee The Indian team, who stepped down as captain, will be eager to capitalize on New Zealand’s transition and secure another series win in the WTC 2023-25 cycle.
India squad for Test series against New Zealand:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav , Muhammad. Siraj, Akash Deep.
Reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna