Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been announced as India’s Test vice-captain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match series at home against New Zealand. India have largely not changed the squad that recently beat Bangladesh 2-0.
Bumrah’s announcement as India’s vice-captain in the board’s release is significant considering the emergence of reports that skipper Rohit Sharma could miss one of India’s first two Tests against Australia Down Under later this year. India hadn’t officially announced a vice-captain for the two-Test series against Bangladesh.
Bumrah has been among the leading figures in the Test team for the past couple of years. He captained India once in the delayed fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in July 2022. India lost that match by seven wickets, and the series finished level at 2-2.
No Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav included in reserves
Express pace bowler Mayank Yadav has been included in the travelling reserves along with fast bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna have also been included with India deciding to pack their reserves with fast bowlers. Mayank has been touted by many to make it to the squad that tours Australia for five Test matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. Reddy, meanwhile, could also stand a chance at making the tour and even hope for a Test debut with India still seeking a pace-bowling all-rounder for the series.
The board has said in its statement that the squad has been announced for all three Test matches, which means that Bumrah intends to play out India’s home international red-ball season before the gruelling tour of Australia. A significant development, though, is the absence of Mohammed Shami in the squad for the series against the Kiwis.
The 34-year-old had recently been sidelined for Bengal’s opening Ranji Trophy matches as he continues to recover from an ankle injury. Shami, who underwent surgery earlier this year, has not yet regained full match fitness, with his last appearance in a competitive fixture being at the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
The first Test between India and New Zealand is scheduled to be held from October 16 in Bengaluru. The second match will start on October 24 in Pune. The tour finishes at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium where the third Test will be played from November 1.
India full squad for New Zealand Test series: 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, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep
Travelling Reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna