Shami sidelined for New Zealand Tests; Bumrah appointed vice-captain

India will be facing New Zealand in the upcoming home Test series with a squad that remains largely unchanged from their last series against Bangladesh in September. Unfortunately, Mohammed Shami has not fully recovered in time to participate in the series, which serves as India's final red-ball action before heading to Australia for a five-Test series to conclude the year. Additionally, Yash Dayal, who had received his first Test call-up for the Bangladesh series, has also been omitted from the squad.

Jasprit Bumrah has been named vice-captain for the three Tests against New Zealand. With Rohit Sharma in doubt for the first Test against Australia, which begins in Perth on November 22, there is now more focus on India's vice-captain.

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India did not have a designated vice-captain for their most recent Test series against Bangladesh but Bumrah has performed the role for India in the past when he was the vice-captain in the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka in March 2022. Later, he served in the position in the two-Test tour of South Africa in 2023-24 and then in the five-Test series earlier this year against England.

Bumrah has also led India once in the one-off Test in England in 2022, when Rohit was forced to sit out after having tested positive for Covid-19.

As for Shami, he is working his way back from an ankle injury for which he required surgery. He last played a competitive match in November 2023 - the ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad. It was hoped he would return to full match fitness during India's ongoing home season, ahead of the marquee series in Australia.

Tearaway Mayank Yadav, who made his T20I debut for India earlier this month against Bangladesh, will join the squad as a travelling reserve along with Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

India play three Tests against New Zealand, the first of which begins on October 16 in Bengaluru. That's followed by Tests in Pune and Mumbai. New Zealand have a major injury concern going into the series, with captain Kane Williamson picking up a groin issue.

India are currently on top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, with 74.24 percentage points from 11 Test matches. Wins in each of their remaining eight Tests (three against New Zealand at home and five away against Australia) will take them to 85.09%, but the more realistic aim for them will be to make sure that they get enough points to seal their place in the WTC final regardless of other results.

India Test squad for the New Zealand seriesRohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt)

Travelling reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna