No Place For Ishan And Iyer; Will Jasprit Bumrah Be Rested? India's Probable Squad For New Zealand Tests

India's squad will officially be announced soon [Source: Screengrab/@CricCrazyJohns/X]

After registering a clinical two-nil whitewash over Bangladesh, India are getting ready to face New Zealand in a three-match Test series on home soil. Led by Rohit Sharma, India showcased remarkable skills to stun the Tigers and bag the series. 

While veteran cricketers Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja exhibited commendable all-round prowess, India's young guns, particularly Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Akash Deep, were too hot to handle for Bangladesh. 

So, as India gear up to sustain their home dominance and consolidate their top position in the World Test Championship standings, let's see what their squad could be for the New Zealand series. 

Will India Rest Jasprit Bumrah For NZ Tests?

Considering it's a home series, you might think India could consider managing Jasprit Bumrah's workload and resting him for the series. However, Bumrah already had a significant cooling-off period, making his comeback for the Bangladesh Tests after two and a half months. 

India rested him for the Sri Lanka tour in order to keep him fresh for the Test season. Furthermore, the hosts will take on the BlackCaps in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai, where the seamers are expected to be pivotal with the ball. Therefore, India will likely include Bumrah for this series and ask him to spearhead their pace battery. 

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Will Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer Return?

It will also be interesting to see if the BCCI selection committee recalls the out-of-favour batting duo of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer. After losing his central contract, Iyer has had sporadic international appearances, while Ishan Kishan hasn't played a single game for the national side since November 2023. 

Both batters were given enough opportunities to showcase their mettle in the recently held domestic red-ball matches. However, their inconsistent performances in the Duleep Trophy are all set to delay their international comeback, with the duo unlikely to be included in India's squad for New Zealand Tests. 

India To Keep Their Core Intact

So, all in all, India will likely persist with familiar names for the all-important assignment against the BlackCaps. While skipper Rohit will lead the side, Jaiswal, Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will form India's batting core. Sarfaraz Khan will likely retain his place as a reserve batter, with Dhruv Jurel making it into the team as the second wicket-keeper. 

India's spin bowling department will consist of Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, with Bumrah leading the pace department alongside Siraj, Akash Deep and Yash Dayal. 

India's Probable Squad For New Zealand Tests

Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal

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