Shubman Gill’s Team India will take on New Zealand in two-match Test series beginning in Wellington from November 19.
Published: October 5, 2026, 10:42 AM IST
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Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep played big roles in Rest of India team winning Irani Cup 2026(Photo: PTI)
India vs New Zealand 2026: Team India are set to face off against New Zealand in a two-match Test series beginning in Wellington next month on November 19Shubman Gill’s side will have revenge of their mind after they were whitewashed at home by the Black Caps last yearThe series will be crucial from the World Test Championships (WTC) 2025-27 point of view as Team India need to keep on winning to keep their chance of qualifying for the final alive.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s prime focus will be to continue their winning run in the Test series and come back with a couple of wins under their belt against the former WTC winnersWith the conditions in New Zealand expected to be pace-friendly, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are expected to lead the attack if they are fit.
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But Gill’s side will need couple of more quality pace bowlers if they hope to succeed down underGambhir has kept a close eye of the Irani Cup 2026 match with Rishabh Pant’s Rest of India side hammering Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar.
According to a report in Cricbuzz website, Bengal fast bowlers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep are in line to make a comeback into the Test side after claiming eight and six wickets respectively in the Irani Cup match which ended on Sunday.
6⃣ wickets of the highest quality!
Relive Mukesh Kumar’s superb 6/33 in the second innings that guided Rest of India to a memorable victory in the #IraniCup 2⃣0⃣2⃣6⃣
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/WPBSyJPp33 https://t.co/rizC5Batz7
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 4, 2026
Mukesh, who was retained for Rs 8 crore by Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2026 season, claimed six wickets in the second innings and has turned out in three Tests, six ODIs and 17 T20I matches since making his international debut in July 2023.
Akash Deep, who was bought for Rs 1 crore by Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders but didn’t play a single match in the season due to injury, was part of the Indian Test squad which drew the five-match Test series against England 2-2 last yearThe Cricbuzz report state that Gambhir will share his inputs about Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep with the senior selection committee which is led by interim chief Pragyan Ojha.
Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep are expected to join Bumrah, Siraj and Gurnoor Brar in the Test squad for the two-match series vs New Zealand.
Prasidh Krishna set to be part of Test squad as well
Gujarat Titans pacer Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the third and final ODI match against West Indies in New Chandigarh last week with a hamstring injuryBut reportedly Krishna’s injury is not as serious as one initially presumed which means the selectors can consider him for selection for the New Zealand tour when he gets clearance from Centre of Excellence (CoE).
The pacer, who was retained for Rs 9.5 crore by Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2026, has sufficient time to recover of nearly a month if he is only selected for the Test series leg of the 45-day tour.
Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as chairman of senior selection committee ended on Sunday and ex-India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has been appointed the interim chief in his place for nowThe senior selection committee are expected to meet later this week to pick the Indian squad for tour of New Zealand beginning later this month.
