Bumrah Returns to India Test Squad for New Zealand Tour

Jasprit Bumrah is back in India's Test squad. The BCCI named a 16 man squad on October 16 for the two Test series in New Zealand, and Bumrah leads a pace group that also brings back Anshul Kamboj and Akash Deep.

Bumrah has not played a Test in 2026. His last appearance in the format came in the home series against South Africa in late 2025, Cricbuzz reported. For a side still chasing the World Test Championship final after a 1-0 series win in Sri Lanka, his return is the headline call of the squad.

Shubman Gill captains the side, with KL Rahul as his deputy and first choice opening partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rishabh Pant is in the squad subject to fitness clearance after a side strain in the Irani Cup. Dhruv Jurel is the second wicketkeeper.

India squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj.

A pace heavy pick for New Zealand

The selectors loaded the squad with fast bowling, which fits New Zealand pitches. Kamboj played one Test on the England tour in 2025 and was dropped. Akash Deep returns after a lower back injury before the IPL kept him out of competitive cricket for nearly eight months. He last played a Test on the same England tour. Siraj and Prasidh Krishna keep their places, and Prasidh's participation is also subject to fitness after a hamstring injury, Nation Press reported.

Spin comes from Jadeja, Kuldeep and Washington Sundar, who missed both Tests in Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury. Nitish Kumar Reddy also returns. There is no place for Axar Patel, and Auqib Nabi, who replaced Bumrah for the Sri Lanka Tests, drops out along with Sarfaraz Khan, Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain and Gurnoor Brar.

The batting order looks settled

Padikkal keeps the number three spot after two centuries on the Sri Lanka tour. Sai Sudharsan returns after missing that tour with a toe injury. The same batting unit that won in Sri Lanka has been kept together.

Key dates

The first Test runs from November 19 to 23 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. The second Test follows at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1. The Tests close a long tour that also includes five one day matches, ending on November 15 at Mount Maunganui.