India vs New Zealand Squad Announcement: Test preparation to drive tricky selections

October 6, 2026

The Indian selection committee, led by interim chief Pragyan Ojha, is set to meet mid-week to finalize squads for the upcoming New Zealand tour. The delay from Monday was caused by a pending fitness assessment for Prasidh Krishna.

Officials are currently balancing the requirements of the India A series with the senior team's limited-overs schedule, aiming to provide red-ball practice for Test regulars like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sai Sudharsan without compromising other lineups. Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar are also in the mix for A-squad consideration as the team manages the workloads of key players like Jasprit Bumrah.

Meanwhile, the selection pool for the Test pace attack remains crowded, and the spin department is evaluating the return of Washington Sundar alongside Ravindra Jadeja. Ishan Kishan, Dhruv Jurel, and Kumar Kushagra are also being discussed for potential red-ball opportunities.