India have made some big, yet somewhat expected, changes to the Test squad for the tour of New Zealand. From the team that took Sri Lanka in an away series in August, winning the first match and drawing the second, four players have been dropped and replaced by five additions.
The least surprising change was the dropping of middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan. The Mumbaikar was called up to Sri Lanka midway through the series because Sai Sudharsan was ruled out due to failing to recover in time from a foot injury. Despite traveling to the island nation, Sarfaraz didn’t get a game, and with Sudharsan returning, there was no space for him.
Two others being dropped are spinners. Saransh Jain made his debut in Sri Lanka but went wicketless in an underwhelming
performance. Manav Suthar, meanwhile, would feel hard-done by the call — he’s clearly the future of the Test side and has made a brilliant start to his career.
However, the conditions in New Zealand won’t be conducive to his bowling. He has been replaced by Washington Sundar, who clearly carries more trust from the team management, and missed the Sri Lanka series due to an injury.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep, both of whom would enjoy the grass tops of New Zealand, have returned from their injuries, too. Pacer Gurnoor Brar had to make way for him, for his hit-the-deck style might not be the best-suited.
India’s Test squad: Shubman Gill, 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, Mohammed Siraj.
IN (4): Anshul Kamboj, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan and Akash Deep
OUT (3): Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Sarfaraz Khan and Saransh Jain
India’s schedule for New Zealand Tests
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | November 19–23, 2026 | Basin Reserve, Wellington | 3:30 AM IST |
| 2nd Test | November 27 – December 1, 2026 | Hagley Oval, Christchurch | 3:30 AM IST |
