India’s New Zealand Tour: 5 Big Takeaways From the ODI and Test Squad Selections

India’s bench strength and its quality will be tested over the next six weeks when it tours New Zealand for five T20Is, five ODIs, two Tests and three multi-day ‘A’ games. The tour begins on October 22 with the T20I leg in Christchurch, while the ‘A’ games start two days later in Lincoln.

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A total of 42 players will feature across the four series, with several named in multiple squads.

This is the first series for which the squads have been selected by the committee led by interim chief Pragyan Ojha, following the end of Ajit Agarkar’s tenure. While the selectors have retained the core across formats, there have also been several changes and new call-ups.

Bhuvneshwar recalled for T20Is

The T20I squad is largely unchanged from the one that has been on a busy run of matches over the last month. However, the selectors have recalled pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 36, after nearly four years away from international cricket. According to batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, Bhuvneshwar provides the experience India needs in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.

Varun Chakaravarthy has also recovered from injury and replaced Ravi Bishnoi.

Squad division

India has opted to split its ODI squad, with most first-choice players named for the first three matches. Four players, Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, Auqib Nabi and Yash Thakur, will replace those heading to the Test squad for the final two ODIs, with Shreyas Iyer taking over as captain.

Shubman Gill, K.L. Rahul, Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna will have a nine-day gap before the first Test, which begins on November 19. The ODI series, meanwhile, will run until November 15.

Red-ball priority

Despite the squad division, Yashasvi Jaiswal has failed to find a place in either of the ODI squads. Instead, he has been asked to focus on the red-ball format. The opening batter will play all three India A matches before joining the Test squad.

Rahul and Kamboj, too, have been named in the ‘A’ squads but might play only the first game before heading to Auckland for the first three ODIs, as the dates of the next two multi-day games clash with the 50-over leg.

The team management has clearly prioritised the two Tests, with India’s qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final hanging in the balance. Bumrah, whose workload will be crucial over the next year, will feature only in the red-ball leg. However, he has not been included in the ‘A’ squad so far.

Jadeja out of World Cup plans?

Ravindra Jadeja featured in the recently concluded ODI series against West Indies, but his prolonged struggles, with 99 runs scored and three wickets in eight games (3 vs SA, 3 vs NZ, 2 vs WI) might have made it difficult for him to convince the selectors.

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was part of the squad for the home ODI series against West Indies.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Axar Patel, who offers a similar skill set, has replaced Jadeja in the ODI squad. Jadeja will feature only in the Tests, while Axar will play both the T20Is and ODIs and appears to be the frontrunner to make the World Cup squad next year.

Maiden call-up for Kumar Kushagra

Wicketkeeper-batter Kushagra received his maiden international call-up after being included in the ODI squad for the final two matches. He will first play the two ‘A’ games before joining the team in Mount Maunganui.

The Jharkhand batter has earned his call-up on the back of solid domestic performances over the last couple of years. In List A cricket, the 21-year-old has scored 1,387 runs in 35 innings at an average of over 51. Across formats, he has amassed 4,588 runs in 127 innings at an average of 41.33. He has also been part of the Gujarat Titans franchise in the IPL.

Kushagra was included in the India A squad late after Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the first two matches due to injury. With Pant’s participation in the tour subject to fitness, Kushagra could have a longer stay in New Zealand.

Overload of work

Despite India’s attempts to build in breaks and recovery time during a hectic schedule, several players could be stretched over the next few weeks. Pace-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav have been included across all three formats and for all games.

Given his recent injury struggles, the management will need to be careful with Nitish’s workload. With India still looking for a long-term replacement for Hardik Pandya, this series will be crucial for Nitish as he seeks to establish himself as a potential successor.

With India not fielding many specialist spinners, Kuldeep is expected to play a significant role across formats. His recent County Championship experience with Yorkshire could come in handy, particularly in the Tests.

Surprising calls

With the cooler climes and traditionally greener pitches unlikely to favour spin, India has opted for Kuldeep, Jadeja and Washington Sundar as its spin-bowling options, leaving out Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain from the squad that toured Sri Lanka.

Suthar’s omission is particularly surprising, given the skills he has displayed in his three Tests and the 23 wickets he has already taken. His ability to generate drift and dip, vary his pace and maintain consistent lengths could have made him a useful option. The left-arm spinner, however, will be part of the India A squad and could stay back to assist the Test side.

The selectors have also opted to retain Gurnoor Brar only in the ODI squad, while calling up Akash Deep for the Tests. The latter returned impressively from his injury layoff in the recently concluded Irani Cup, taking six wickets against Jammu and Kashmir.

With Harshit Rana still unfit, Kamboj has found a place in both the ODI and Test squads. He will return to the whites more than a year after making his Test debut in England.

Nabi, meanwhile, has not found a place in the Test squad despite his ability to swing the ball and contribute lower down the order. He will play the three ‘A’ games before joining the ODI squad for the final two matches.

In another notable omission, Sarfaraz Khan, who was part of the squad for the Sri Lanka tour, will not travel to New Zealand with any of the teams, including India A. Mohammed Shami, too, has failed to find a place in any squad despite consistently playing red-ball cricket for Bengal. With another series passing him by, questions remain over his future in India’s plans.

With a demanding six weeks ahead, the New Zealand tour will be a gripping test of India’s planning, both tactically and logistically. With teams building towards the 2027 World Cup and the race to qualify for the WTC final entering a crucial phase, the tour will paint a clear picture of where India stands in both formats.

Published on Oct 17, 2026