India Announces 15-Man, Squad for Upcoming Test Series Against New Zealand

India has unveiled its 15-man squad for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, with notable absences and some key players stepping into leadership roles. Mohammed Shami remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from injury, while Jasprit Bumrah has been appointed vice-captain for the series.

The squad will be led by captain Rohit Sharma, and the rest of the lineup includes a mix of familiar faces and rising talents. Notable selections include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Sarfaraz Khan in the batting department, alongside experienced players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.

The wicketkeeping duties will be shared by Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, while the spin attack features Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. In the pace department, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep have been included in the squad.

Mohammed Shami, who last played for India in the Men’s World Cup final against Australia in November of last year, continues to be sidelined due to injury. The remainder of the Indian squad remains largely unchanged following their 2-0 Test series victory over Bangladesh last month.

Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal, who was the 16th member of the squad for the Bangladesh series, has been left out for this series. However, three fast bowlers – Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna – have been named as travelling reserves, along with all-rounder Nitish Reddy.

India is set to begin the Test series in Bengaluru, with the first match starting on October 16.

India’s 15-man squad:
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, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.