NZ vs Ind WTC series - Gurnoor Brar replaces Kuldeep Yadav in India's Test squad

Gurnoor Brar has replaced Kuldeep Yadav in the India Test squad for the two-match series in New Zealand starting November 19 in Wellington. Brar, therefore, will not be available for the final ODI of the series – which India are leading 2-1 – but no replacement for him has been named.

The BCCI statement on the subject said Kuldeep was being released from the squad “in order to play the ongoing domestic cricket back in India” – the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is on at the moment.

In another update, the BCCI confirmed that Rishabh Pant had joined the Test preparations in Wellington. As Cricinfo had reported on Thursday, Pant was given his fitness clearance by the BCCI medical staff after recovering from the side strain that had kept him out of action.

Within that fast-bowling set-up, too, there would be concerns.

Bumrah had played only sporadically since the IPL – where he picked up just four wickets in 13 games – and, after being given the all-clear by BCCI’s medical team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, managed to bowl just six wicketless overs in the rain-hit third four-day match for India A against New Zealand A earlier in the week. Bumrah hasn’t played a Test match since November 2025.

Prasidh, making a comeback after an injury, bowled just five overs in that same match, though he picked up two wickets. Akash Deep, too, had a long layoff earlier this year with a stress fracture of the back but came into the Test squad after proving his form and fitness in India’s domestic circuit.

Siraj, meanwhile, has had a patchy time of late, and though not at his best, did get four wickets in India A’s only bowling innings in the second of those four-day matches. In what might be an indication of what the team management thinks of his form at the moment, Siraj was with the ODI squad for the first four matches but didn’t get a game. He wasn’t sent to the Test camp either, even though Kamboj was. With Brar missing the final ODI, however, Siraj could get a game.

India’s updated squad for the two Tests in New Zealand

Shubman Gill (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, B Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar.

Source: www.cricinfo.com