India have named a 16-man squad for the two-Test series in New Zealand that begins on 19 November 2026, with Shubman Gill as captain and KL Rahul as his deputy, CricToday and Outlook India reported after the announcement on 17 October.
The Test squad
Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.
The Pant question
Pant’s inclusion is subject to fitness clearance, according to both reports. Sports Digest reported separately that he was ruled out of the first two India A matches against New Zealand A with a strain, and that his fitness will be reassessed before the third match. Dhruv Jurel, who captains India A, is the other wicketkeeper in the squad.
Akash Deep’s return
The Tribune reported that Akash Deep is recalled after nearly eight months out with a lower-back injury. Yahoo Sports said he showed good form and fitness in the Irani Cup and in the first round of the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. Anshul Kamboj, who made his Test debut at Manchester in July 2025, also returns to the red-ball side.
Bumrah in, Shami out
Bumrah is in the Test squad after being left out of the ODI groups. Mohammed Shami was not picked, a decision examined in a separate report on IndiaX24.
The two Tests
The series opens in Wellington on 19 November and the second Test is in Christchurch from 27 November, with both matches starting at 3:30 am Indian time, according to Outlook India’s schedule.
The squad is as reported by CricToday, Outlook India, The Tribune, Yahoo Sports and Sports Digest.
Image: KL Rahul, India’s Test vice-captain, at a training session in Sydney (file photo). Photo by NAPARAZZI, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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