India announces full squads for New Zealand tour, Bumrah returns to Test side

Squad Announcement

Jasprit Bumrah is back in the Test team for the first time since November 2023, when he played the last Test against South Africa. He will not feature in the One‑Day International (ODI) or T20 squads. Rishabh Pant also joins the Test side, while fast bowler Akashdeep Singh returns after his last Test at the Oval in July 2025. Shubman Gill retains the Test captaincy. In the ODI squad, Gill will lead the first three matches and Shreyas Iyer will captain the final two, with KL Rahul rested as vice‑captain for those games. Kumar Kushagra gets his first call‑up to the ODI squad, replacing Ravindra Jadeja. The T20 squad, announced earlier, includes captain Shreyas Iyer, vice‑captain Tilak Varma and a mix of veterans and youngsters such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who makes a comeback after four years, and 15‑year‑old Vaibhav Suryavanshi who remains in the squad.

Tour Schedule

India will be in New Zealand from 22 October to 1 December. The itinerary features five T20 matches (22, 24, 27, 30 October and 1 November), five ODIs starting on 4 November, and two Tests to follow. The team departs for the tour immediately after completing a five‑match T20 series against West Indies, which is tied after four games.

Context

India’s summer tour follows a packed home season and offers a chance for new players like Kumar Kushagra and returning stars such as Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to prove themselves before the World Cup cycle.