Wellington will host the opening Test of a two-match series between India and New Zealand beginning November 19, 2026, and the selection committee has brought Gurnoor Brar into the squad for that assignment. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav has been released from the Test group to return to domestic cricket.

Brar's inclusion means he will skip the fifth ODI against New Zealand and head straight to Wellington to join the Test camp. There is no replacement named in the ODI side for that final match. Rishabh Pant, already part of the touring group, has linked up with the Test squad in Wellington ahead of the November 19 fixture. The second Test follows on November 27, 2026. India's programme in New Zealand across the 2026-27 season covers five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, running from October through December.

Why was Gurnoor Brar added to the Test squad?

Brar's form during the ODI leg of the tour made a strong case for his retention in New Zealand. At Wellington, he claimed 4 for 30 in an ODI, a career-best return in the format, and collected the Player of the Match award for that effort. That showing, along with consistent contributions across the ODI series, persuaded the selection committee to move him directly into the Test group rather than send him home. Gurnoor Brar joins Auqib Nabi and Arshdeep Singh, who are also staying back in New Zealand ahead of the Test preparations, having been part of the ODI squad throughout the series.

What does Kuldeep Yadav's release mean for the fifth ODI squad?

Kuldeep Yadav's exit from the Test setup has seen him slotted into the ODI group for the fifth and final match against New Zealand. Shreyas Iyer captains that side, with Ishan Kishan serving as vice-captain and wicketkeeper. The squad also includes Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav. With Brar moving across to the Test group and no replacement called up, the ODI side for that game stands at fourteen players.

India full squad for New Zealand Tests

Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar