Star pacer returns in India Test squad for New Zealand

Premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, along with off-spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar, seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and pacer Akash Deep have returned to India’s 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series in New Zealand. To accommodate the incoming quartet of Bumrah, Sundar, Nitish and Akash Deep, along with B Sai Sudharsan returning after recovering from injuries, batter Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, off-spinner Saransh Jain, and pacers Auqib Nabi and Gurnoor Brar have been left out of the team.
Shubman Gill will continue to lead the side, with senior batter KL Rahul named as his vice-captain. The top order boasts a formidable batting lineup – Gill, Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal and Sudharsan. First-choice wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and fast bowler Prasidh Krishna have both been included in the squad, though the BCCI stated that their availability remains subject to final fitness clearances. Pant is recovering from a left-side strain which he picked up while leading Rest of India during the Irani Cup game against Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar, which also ruled him out of the first two India A red-ball games against New Zealand A.

News #TeamIndia’s ODI and Test squads for New Zealand tour announced Captain Shubman Gill will lead the side for the first ODIs, before Shreyas Iyer takes charge for the last matches. More details https://t.co/npwxUYlb1N #NZvIND https://t.co/3ckm7ixgEN

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 16, 2026

Prasidh, meanwhile, is recuperating from a left hamstring injury sustained during an ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati. Dhruv Jurel, who is captaining India A on the shadow red-ball tour, retains his place in the Test team as the second wicketkeeping option.