Jasprit Bumrah Named Vice-Captain for New Zealand Test Series

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. The series, which begins on October 16 in Bengaluru, will be a crucial test for India as they look to consolidate their position at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.

Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team, while star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been named as vice-captain. The decision to appoint Bumrah as vice-captain is a significant one, as it strongly indicates his potential elevation to the leadership role in the future, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding Rohit Sharma’s availability for the upcoming Test series against Australia.

Bumrah has previously served as India’s vice-captain in several Test series, including the home series against Sri Lanka in 2022, the tour of South Africa in 2023-24, and the series against England earlier this year. His appointment as vice-captain for the New Zealand series is a clear indication of the team management’s confidence in his leadership abilities.

The Indian squad for the New Zealand series includes a strong batting lineup featuring Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Sarfaraz Khan. The team also boasts a formidable spin attack, with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav all included.

However, the absence of Mohammed Shami, who is still recovering from an injury, is a significant blow to the Indian pace bowling department. The team will have to rely on the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Bumrah to fill the void left by Shami’s absence.

India’s series against New Zealand will be a crucial test for the team as they look to maintain their position at the top of the WTC standings. A strong performance against the Kiwis will boost their confidence ahead of the all-important tour of Australia, which begins in December-January.

India Test Squad for New Zealand Series:

(i) Rohit Sharma (capt)

(ii) Yashasvi Jaiswal

(iii) Shubman Gill

(iv) Virat Kohli

(v) KL Rahul

(vi) Sarfaraz Khan

(vii) Rishabh Pant (wk)

(viii) Dhruv Jurel (wk)

(ix) R Ashwin

(x) Ravindra Jadeja

(xi) Axar Patel

(xii) Kuldeep Yadav

(xiii) Mohammed Siraj

(xiv)Akash Deep

(xv)Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain)

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

The series against New Zealand will be a tough challenge for India, but with a strong squad and the leadership of Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, the team will be confident of securing a series victory.