The three Tests will be played in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai.
The BCCI on Friday, October 11, 2024, announced the 15-member India squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand. This Test series will be part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC 2025).
The series will begin with the first Test on October 16 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The second Test will be played from October 24 onwards and will be hosted by MCA Stadium in Pune. The third and final Test will begin on November 1 in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
The Indian squad remains the same as that played against Bangladesh recently. Rohit Sharma will captain the side and this time the BCCI has named pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the vice-captain of the Indian team.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul form the crux of Indian batting. Sarfaraz Khan retained his spot in Team India from the Bangladesh series. So did Dhruv Jurel, who will be Rishabh Pant’s understudy in the keeping department.
R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav form the spin department of the Indian squad. The pace unit sees Jasprit Bumrah leading the likes of Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj.
The selectors also named four traveling reserves - Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
The series is very crucial to India’s chances for qualification in the final of the WTC 2025.
India squad for New Zealand Tests:
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, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep
Traveling reserves: Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy