Get the latest India squad updates for the New Zealand tour, including Test, ODI and T20I selections, captaincy details, player availability and the key names to watch across the series.
India New Zealand Tour: The Key Squad Updates
India’s selections for the 2026 New Zealand tour bring three major talking points: Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the Test squad, Rishabh Pant’s fitness status and a change in ODI captaincy for the final two matches.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the T20I squad on October 6, followed by the ODI and Test selections on October 16. India are scheduled to play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests on the tour.
Bumrah’s inclusion strengthens India’s Test pace options. Pant has been named in the Test squad but must receive fitness clearance after a left-side strain. Prasidh Krishna’s selection is also subject to fitness clearance.
In the ODI series, Shubman Gill will lead the side in the first three matches, before Shreyas Iyer takes over for the fourth and fifth ODIs. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are included in both ODI groups.
India vs New Zealand 2026: Tour Overview
The tour covers all three international formats, beginning with the T20I series and finishing with two Tests in November.
| Format | Matches | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| T20I | 5 | October 22 – November 1 |
| ODI | 5 | November 4 – November 15 |
| Test | 2 | November 19 – December 1 |
The selections are not identical across formats. Players have been picked according to the requirements of each series, and fitness conditions remain relevant to the final availability of certain Test squad members.
India Test Squad: Jasprit Bumrah Returns
Bumrah is the standout name in the Test selection, while Pant and Prasidh Krishna remain subject to fitness clearance.
Bumrah’s return gives India another experienced fast-bowling option for the two-Test series. His inclusion is particularly relevant in conditions where seam movement can influence a match, although the impact will ultimately depend on his fitness and performance during the series.
Pant’s selection needs a separate qualification. He has been named in the squad, but that does not automatically confirm his availability for the first Test or the entire series. BCCI has made his participation conditional on fitness clearance following a left-side strain.
India’s announced Test squad
Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, KL Rahul (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper, subject to fitness clearance), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna (subject to fitness clearance), Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.
The squad combines established international players with several options who can contribute in different conditions. The final playing XI will depend on fitness, team balance and the conditions at each venue.
India ODI Squads: Gill and Iyer to Share Captaincy
Gill leads the first three ODIs, while Iyer takes charge for the last two matches of the series.
India have announced separate groups for the opening three ODIs and the final two. This is the captaincy arrangement for this series; it should not be interpreted as confirmation of a permanent change in ODI leadership.
Squad for the first three ODIs
Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna (subject to fitness clearance) and Kuldeep Yadav.
Squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.
Rohit and Kohli are named in both ODI squads. Bumrah, meanwhile, has been selected for the Tests and is not listed in the announced ODI groups.
India T20I Squad for the New Zealand Series
Shreyas Iyer will captain India in the five-match T20I series, with Tilak Varma named vice-captain.
India’s announced T20I squad is: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav.
The series gives India five matches to assess their combinations in the shortest format. Selection does not guarantee a place in every playing XI, and final team choices will be made closer to each match.
What India’s Squad Selections Tell Us
The biggest themes are Test-bowling depth, fitness management and format-specific leadership.
Bumrah’s Test return adds experience
Bumrah’s inclusion is a significant boost to India’s available Test options. His role will depend on workload management and match readiness, so it is too early to make assumptions about his likely number of overs or final impact.
Pant’s fitness remains a key watchpoint
Pant’s status is the clearest qualification attached to the Test squad. The team has selected him, but his return to competitive action depends on clearance. A later medical update will be more meaningful than speculation about when he might play.
ODI leadership is planned match by match
Gill and Iyer have been assigned captaincy for different portions of the ODI series. The announced squads also give India a mix of experienced players and younger options. How the team balances those choices will become clearer when the playing XIs are announced.
The tour offers a three-format assessment
With 12 international matches scheduled, the tour will test India’s depth across formats. The T20Is, ODIs and Tests have different tactical demands, so squad selections should be evaluated in the context of each format rather than treated as one combined ranking of players.
India Tour of New Zealand 2026: Match Schedule
The following fixtures are based on the schedule announced by BCCI.
T20I series
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| October 22 | 1st T20I | Christchurch |
| October 24 | 2nd T20I | Christchurch |
| October 27 | 3rd T20I | Wellington |
| October 30 | 4th T20I | Auckland |
| November 1 | 5th T20I | Hamilton |
ODI series
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| November 4 | 1st ODI | Auckland |
| November 7 | 2nd ODI | Wellington |
| November 10 | 3rd ODI | Hamilton |
| November 13 | 4th ODI | Mount Maunganui |
| November 15 | 5th ODI | Mount Maunganui |
Test series
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| November 19 | 1st Test | Wellington |
| November 27 | 2nd Test | Christchurch |
Check the official BCCI fixture announcement before publication in case of any schedule changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about India’s New Zealand tour squads, key players and fixtures.
The tour begins with the first T20I in Christchurch on October 22, 2026.
Yes. Bumrah has been selected for India’s Test squad. He is not listed in the announced ODI squads.
No. Pant has been named in the Test squad subject to fitness clearance following a left-side strain.
Shubman Gill will captain the first three ODIs, while Shreyas Iyer will lead the final two.
India are scheduled to play five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, for a total of 12 international matches.
The first Test is scheduled to begin in Wellington on November 19, 2026.
Final Takeaway
India’s New Zealand tour will test the squad across all three formats, with fitness and leadership decisions among the main stories to follow.
Bumrah’s return is the main positive for the Test squad, while Pant’s fitness clearance remains unresolved. The ODI captaincy split between Gill and Iyer is another notable decision, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli included in both ODI groups.
The next meaningful updates will be official fitness news, final playing XIs and match-day team selections. Until then, the published BCCI squad announcements provide the clearest picture of India’s plans for the tour.
Sources and Official Announcements
Squad details and fixtures should be checked against official announcements before the article is published or updated.
