Dhruv Jurel has been named captain of India A for the upcoming three-match unofficial Test series against New Zealand A. The wicketkeeper-batter from Agra has been handed the captaincy despite the presence of several senior players in the squad, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Washington Sundar.
Rishabh Pant Included, Fitness Test Remains
Rishabh Pant has also been included in the squad, but his participation will depend on his fitness. KL Rahul, who is India’s Test vice-captain, is part of the squad along with Test regulars Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan.
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The squad also includes Washington Sundar and Manav Suthar, while the pace attack features Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar and Anshul Kamboj. All of these players have already represented India in Test cricket.
New Faces Get India A Call-Up
A few players who have impressed in domestic cricket have also earned their place in the squad. Karnataka batter Ravichandran Smaran has been rewarded for his recent form after scoring a century in the second innings of the Irani Cup.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar, Maharashtra fast bowler Mukesh Choudhary and Vidarbha batter Yash Rathod are the other players included in the squad.
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Rathod had impressed during India A’s second unofficial Test against Australia A in Puducherry, while Mukesh Choudhary made an impact for Rest of India in the Irani Cup by taking five wickets in the first innings.
Jasprit Bumrah Not Included
Jasprit Bumrah has not been included in the India A squad despite reports suggesting that he could feature in at least one red-ball game in New Zealand.
Bumrah has not played a Test match since November 2025, when India faced South Africa. He also missed India’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka in August 2026 because of an injury. The fast bowler is currently India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship.
India A vs New Zealand A Schedule
The first unofficial Test will be played at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln from October 24 to 27. Christchurch’s Hagley Oval will host the second match from October 31 to November 3. The third and final unofficial Test will return to Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln and will be played from November 7 to 10.
| No. | Day | Date | Day (to) | Date (to) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sat | 24-Oct-26 | Tue | 27-Oct-26 | 1st Multi-Day | Lincoln |
2 | Sat | 31-Oct-26 | Tue | 03-Nov-26 | 2nd Multi Day | Christchurch |
3 | Sat | 07-Nov-26 | Tue | 10-Nov-26 | 3rd Multi-Day | Lincoln |
India A squad for three unofficial Tests vs New Zealand A
Dhruv Jurel (C & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Smaran, Rishabh Pant (WK)*, Washington Sundar, Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Manav Suthar, Mukesh Choudhary, Sai Sudarsan, Yash Rathod, Mukesh Kumar
