BCCI Announces 15-Member Squad for Test Series vs New Zealand

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, starting on Wednesday in Bengaluru. In the official statement released yesterday, the BCCI confirmed that Rohit Sharma will captain the team, while star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been named vice-captain.

Mohammad Shami, who was injured during last year’s ODI World Cup, has not been included in the squad for this series. The batting lineup remains unchanged from the previous series against Bangladesh, with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Sarfaraz Khan retaining their places.

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India’s squad leans heavily on spin, with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav forming a strong spin attack, likely to feature prominently in the playing XI.

The first Test will begin on the 16th of this month in Bengaluru. The second Test is scheduled for October 24th in Pune, with the final match of the series to take place at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, starting November 1st.

India currently leads the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, while New Zealand, the 2021 champions, are ranked sixth. Rohit Sharma and his team will aim to solidify their position in the WTC rankings ahead of the crucial tour of Australia later this year, spanning December and January.