The BCCI named India’s squads for the New Zealand tour on October 16, 2026. Five ODIs and two Tests are on the schedule.
Shubman Gill captains the first three ODIs and the Test side. Shreyas Iyer takes over as ODI captain for the fourth and fifth matches, with Ishan Kishan as his vice-captain.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in both ODI squads. Jasprit Bumrah is back for the Tests. Rishabh Pant is named, but only if he clears fitness.
India vs New Zealand 2026: series overview
- Squad announcement: October 16, 2026 (BCCI Men’s Selection Committee)
- Host: New Zealand
- Formats: 5 ODIs and 2 Tests, played after the T20I series
- ODI captains: Shubman Gill (matches 1-3), Shreyas Iyer (matches 4-5)
- ODI vice-captains: Shreyas Iyer (matches 1-3), Ishan Kishan (matches 4-5)
- Test captain and vice-captain: Shubman Gill and KL Rahul
- Dates: the ODI leg starts on November 4 in Auckland. The second Test ends on December 1 in Christchurch.
India ODI squad for New Zealand 2026
India named two separate ODI squads, each with 16 players. The split exists because Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj only play the first three games, before Test preparation takes over.
India’s squad for the first three ODIs
Captain: Shubman Gill. Vice-captain: Shreyas Iyer.
- Shubman Gill (c)
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer (vc)
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Axar Patel
- Naman Dhir
- Anshul Kamboj
- Gurnoor Brar
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Arshdeep Singh
- Ishan Kishan (wk)
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna (subject to fitness clearance)
- Kuldeep Yadav
Prasidh is the only name with a fitness caveat here.
India’s squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs
Captain: Shreyas Iyer. Vice-captain and wicketkeeper: Ishan Kishan.
- Shreyas Iyer (c)
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Tilak Varma
- Ishan Kishan (vc, wk)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Axar Patel
- Naman Dhir
- Auqib Nabi
- Gurnoor Brar
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kumar Kushagra (wk)
- Mohammed Siraj
- Yash Thakur
- Kuldeep Yadav
Gill leaves after match 3 to focus on the red-ball series. Iyer moves up from vice-captain to captain, and Kishan steps into the vice-captaincy.
Key changes in India’s ODI squad
Four players drop out after the third ODI: Gill, KL Rahul, Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna. Four come in.
- Tilak Varma returns to the ODI group.
- Auqib Nabi gets a spot after making his international debut against West Indies.
- Kumar Kushagra has his first India call-up. He replaces Rahul as the second wicketkeeper alongside Kishan.
- Yash Thakur joins the pace group in place of Prasidh and Kamboj.
Everyone else stays. Rohit, Kohli, Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar, Naman Dhir, Brar, Gaikwad, Arshdeep, Siraj and Kuldeep play all five games, if selected.
India Test squad for New Zealand 2026
Full list of India’s Test players
The squad has 16 players.
Batters (5): Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vc), Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan
Wicketkeepers (2): Rishabh Pant (subject to fitness clearance), Dhruv Jurel
All-rounders (3): Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy
Bowlers (6): Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Shami is not in the squad. Neither is Manav Suthar.
Shubman Gill to captain India in Tests
Gill leads the Test side, and KL Rahul is his deputy. Jaiswal and Rahul give India an opening pair that already knows each other.
Gill sits out the last two ODIs, which tells you where the selectors want his head. It’s on the Tests.
Jasprit Bumrah returns to the Test squad
Bumrah is in for the Tests and out of the ODIs. I think that’s the right call.
New Zealand’s conditions tend to reward bowlers who hit a length and move the ball off the seam. Bumrah does both better than anyone in the squad. Pair him with Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep and Kamboj and India has 5 quicks to pick from. Jadeja, Washington and Kuldeep cover the spin side.
Rishabh Pant’s fitness update
Pant is named, but he’s the only player in the Test squad marked “subject to fitness clearance.” He picked up a side strain while leading Rest of India in the Irani Cup.
If he doesn’t clear, Dhruv Jurel is already in the squad as the other wicketkeeper. The BCCI hasn’t said when the decision will come.
India vs New Zealand 2026: full schedule
India vs New Zealand ODI schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | Start time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Wednesday, 4 November 2026 | Auckland | 7:30 AM |
| 2nd ODI | Saturday, 7 November 2026 | Wellington | 7:30 AM |
| 3rd ODI | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | Hamilton | 7:30 AM |
| 4th ODI | Friday, 13 November 2026 | Mount Maunganui | 7:30 AM |
| 5th ODI | Sunday, 15 November 2026 | Mount Maunganui | 7:30 AM |
India vs New Zealand Test schedule
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | 19-23 November 2026 | Wellington |
| 2nd Test | 27 November-1 December 2026 | Christchurch |
I couldn’t confirm Indian start times for the Tests, so check the BCCI site closer to the match. Schedule source: official BCCI announcement.
Read Also Full Preview : India Vs New Zealand Timeline
Biggest talking points from India’s squad selection
Gill across formats. He captains the first three ODIs and all the Tests. Then he gets a break from white-ball cricket.
Iyer leading the final two ODIs. He’s the vice-captain in matches 1-3 and the captain in 4-5. He also captains India’s T20I side, so this is a natural step.
Rohit and Kohli stay. Both play only ODIs now, and both are named in each squad. The 2027 ODI World Cup is the obvious reason.
Bumrah’s return. India picks a full pace group for the Tests, and Bumrah leads it.
Pant’s status. Selected, but unconfirmed.
Chances for newer names. Kushagra gets a maiden call-up. Nabi, Thakur and Tilak get a look in the last two ODIs. Akash Deep and Kamboj are back in the Test squad.
Who’s missing. Shami and Hardik Pandya aren’t in either squad. Ravindra Jadeja is out of the ODIs but plays the Tests.
The selectors split the squads so the senior names (Gill, Rahul, Kamboj) get time to prepare for the Tests, while younger players get ODI minutes.
India vs New Zealand 2026: what to expect
India’s ODI batting is deep. Rohit, Kohli, Gill, Iyer and Rahul make up a top five with a lot of runs behind it. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar and Naman Dhir sit below them.
The bowling is where it gets interesting. Arshdeep and Siraj lead the pace group in the ODIs, with Kuldeep as the wrist-spin option. Without Bumrah, I’d expect India to lean on batting depth.
New Zealand’s pitches and weather usually help the quicker bowlers, especially in Wellington and Christchurch. Batters will need patience early in the Tests.
The Tests matter in the 2025-27 World Test Championship table. India sits 5th, and the cycle has been bumpy amid a big transition. Two wins in New Zealand would help a lot.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
When did BCCI announce India’s squad for the New Zealand series?
On October 16, 2026. The announcement covered both the ODI and Test squads.
Who is India’s captain for the New Zealand ODI series?
Shubman Gill captains the first three ODIs. Shreyas Iyer takes over for matches 4 and 5.
Who will captain India in the fourth and fifth ODIs?
Shreyas Iyer. Ishan Kishan is his vice-captain.
Who is India’s captain for the Test series?
Shubman Gill, with KL Rahul as vice-captain.
Is Jasprit Bumrah included in India’s ODI squad?
No. He’s in the Test squad only.
Is Rishabh Pant fit for the New Zealand Test series?
Not confirmed. He’s named in the squad but is subject to fitness clearance after a side strain from the Irani Cup.
When will the India vs New Zealand 2026 series begin?
The ODIs start on November 4 in Auckland. The first Test starts on November 19 in Wellington. The T20I series comes before the ODIs.
Where can fans check the full India squad and match schedule?
The BCCI’s official website (bcci.tv) has the squads and fixtures.
Final thoughts
Gill leads in the first three ODIs and in the Tests. Iyer captains the last two ODIs, with Kishan as his deputy. Rohit and Kohli are in both ODI squads. Bumrah is back for the Tests, and Pant needs to pass a fitness check.
Key dates: ODIs run from November 4 to 15. Tests run from November 19 to December 1.
Squads can change, especially with Pant and Prasidh Krishna both waiting on fitness clearance. Come back to this page for updates if the BCCI revises anything.
