India has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, as they prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The squad features some changes, with Jasprit Bumrah named as vice-captain.
In a surprising decision, Mohammed Shami was left out of the squad. The experienced pacer has been sidelined since the 2023 ODI World Cup final in November due to an injury that required surgery. Shami is hopeful of making his comeback in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
With the matches taking place in India, captain Rohit Sharma will rely heavily on his spin department, which includes R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. The pace attack will consist of Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep. The spin-friendly conditions in India have provided Shami with extra time to recover. Yash Dayal, who received his maiden Test call-up for the Bangladesh series, also missed out on selection.
Unlike the Bangladesh series, where India did not have a designated vice-captain, Bumrah has previously held that role and has even captained the team once. Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Kumar Reddy have been named as traveling reserves.
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Fans are eager to see Shami return in November. His fastest delivery recorded at 153.2 km/h came against Australia during the 2014 series at the MCG. Shami’s effectiveness lies in his smooth run-up and action, along with his wicket-taking ability and lethal reverse swing, making him a challenging opponent.
India currently tops the World Test Championship (WTC) table, while New Zealand sits in sixth place. Winning this series will help India solidify their position in the table as they aim for a spot in the third WTC final.