The BCCI has unveiled India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, with Jasprit Bumrah being appointed as the new vice-captain. The talented pacer replaces the injured Mohammed Shami in the leadership role. The squad sees only one change from the previous series against Bangladesh, with Yash Dayal making way for Bumrah. Moreover, the selectors have opted not to replace Dayal with a new face, putting their faith in Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep as the specialist fast bowlers for the upcoming series.
The likes of Shreyas Iyer and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been left out of the squad, while four fast bowlers have been named as travelling reserves. Mayank Yadav, who recently made his T20I debut, finds himself in the reserve list alongside Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna. Bumrah’s elevation to the vice-captaincy comes as no surprise, given his previous captaincy stint in one Test against England.
The announcement of Bumrah as the vice-captain also puts to rest the speculation surrounding a potential stand-in skipper in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who is rumored to miss the first Test against Australia in November. The squad for the New Zealand series is a blend of experience and youth, with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant leading the charge.
The tour schedule includes three Tests, with the first match set to commence on October 16 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Subsequent Tests will be held at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune and the Wankhede Stadium in Pune on October 24-28 and November 1-5, respectively. It promises to be an exciting series as India looks to continue their winning momentum against a formidable New Zealand side.
