New Zealand have named a near full-strength 14-man squad for the two-Test home series against India, which begins at the Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington on 19 November. Captain Tom Latham leads a group that looks very similar to the side that toured England earlier this year, with fast bowler Jacob Duffy the one new face in the squad.
The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27, and it will be the first red-ball meeting between the two sides since New Zealand's remarkable 3-0 whitewash in India in 2024 — the first time a visiting team had ever swept a Test series in India. The second Test follows at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from 27 November to 2 December.
The squad in full
New Zealand Cricket announced the 14-man squad on 10 November. The full squad is:
Tom Latham (captain, batter)
Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper)
Devon Conway (batter)
Jacob Duffy (fast bowler)
Matt Henry (fast bowler)
Kyle Jamieson (fast bowler)
Daryl Mitchell (batter)
Henry Nicholls (batter)
Glenn Phillips (batter)
Rachin Ravindra (batter)
Mitchell Santner (all-rounder)
Nathan Smith (fast-bowling all-rounder)
Blair Tickner (fast bowler)
Will Young (batter)
Three players are still working through injuries but are aiming to be available for the first Test: Tom Blundell (quadricep), Devon Conway (concussion) and Rachin Ravindra (shoulder). Conway was ruled out of the remaining ODIs against India after a concussion in training, and Ravindra missed the ODI series with a shoulder injury.
Duffy in as three seamers miss out
Jacob Duffy comes into the squad in place of Ben Sears, who is out with an ankle injury. Zak Foulkes, who is recovering from a hip injury, and Will O'Rourke, who is on a return-to-play programme, also miss out. O'Rourke is expected to be fit for the series in Australia that follows the India Tests.
Duffy joins a five-man seam attack alongside Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner. Henry and Jamieson were both held back from the later ODIs against India so they could switch their focus to red-ball cricket ahead of the Test series.
Walter backs a settled group
Head coach Rob Walter said the series marks the start of an exciting summer of Test cricket for the BLACKCAPS, and he was pleased to keep the group together after the England tour.
"This series marks the start of an exciting summer of Test cricket for the BLACKCAPS."
"The squad is largely consistent with the team that competed in England earlier this year, so it'll be great to be back together to try and recreate some of that success on home soil."
"We've experienced great crowds so far during the white-ball series and we're really looking forward to having that support during the Tests."
Walter also pointed to the bigger picture, with ten Tests scheduled between now and March and valuable World Test Championship points on the line.
"There are ten Tests scheduled between now and March, so there's no shortage of action for red-ball fans."
"Valuable Championship points are on the line of course, but our focus remains on playing our best cricket against a high-quality team like India."
Walter will be joined by bowling coach Jacob Oram, departing batting coach Luke Ronchi, and BJ Watling, who begins his tenure as the new batting coach on 16 November.
Blundell closing in on 50 Tests
Tom Blundell is currently on 48 Test caps and is in line to play his 50th Test for New Zealand in Christchurch at Hagley Oval.
New Zealand come into the series full of confidence from their tour of England earlier this year, where they handed the hosts their first home Test series defeat of three or more matches in 14 years. Kyle Jamieson, Nathan Smith and Matt Henry — who took two five-wicket hauls — all claimed five-fors on that tour, while Latham, Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips all scored centuries.
What the series means for the World Test Championship
New Zealand currently lead the World Test Championship standings, and a home series win against India would strengthen their push towards a first WTC final appearance since they won the inaugural mace in 2021. With ten Tests to come before March, including the series in Australia after India, this is the start of a defining stretch for Walter's side.
India, who have already named their 16-man squad for the series, will be out to avenge the 3-0 defeat at home in 2024. Shubman Gill captains the tourists, with Rishabh Pant's inclusion subject to fitness clearance.
India's squad for the series
The BCCI announced India's 16-man Test squad on 16 October. The full squad is:
Shubman Gill (captain, batter)
KL Rahul (vice-captain, batter)
Yashasvi Jaiswal (batter)
Devdutt Padikkal (batter)
Sai Sudharsan (batter)
Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper, subject to fitness)
Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper)
Ravindra Jadeja (all-rounder)
Nitish Kumar Reddy (all-rounder)
Washington Sundar (all-rounder)
Kuldeep Yadav (spinner)
Jasprit Bumrah (fast bowler)
Prasidh Krishna (fast bowler)
Akash Deep (fast bowler)
Anshul Kamboj (fast bowler)
Mohammed Siraj (fast bowler)
Series at a glance
The two-Test series runs from 19 November to 2 December, with the first Test at the Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington and the second at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. New Zealand's 14-man squad is led by Tom Latham, with Jacob Duffy the only new face, while India arrive with a 16-man squad captained by Shubman Gill. World Test Championship points are at stake in both matches.
FAQs
When does the New Zealand vs India Test series start?
The first Test starts on 19 November 2026 at the Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington and runs to 23 November. The second Test is from 27 November to 2 December at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Who is captaining New Zealand?
Tom Latham captains New Zealand in the two-Test series against India.
Who is in New Zealand's Test squad for the India series?
The 14-man squad is Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner and Will Young.
Why are Ben Sears, Zak Foulkes and Will O'Rourke missing?
Ben Sears is out with an ankle injury, Zak Foulkes is recovering from a hip injury, and Will O'Rourke is on a return-to-play programme. Jacob Duffy comes into the squad in Sears' place.
Who is in India's Test squad?
India's 16-man squad is captained by Shubman Gill, with KL Rahul as vice-captain. Rishabh Pant is included subject to fitness clearance.
Where is the second Test played?
The second Test is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, from 27 November to 2 December 2026. Tom Blundell is in line to play his 50th Test in that match.
Conclusion
This is a series with plenty riding on it. New Zealand have kept faith with the group that made history in England, and the return of a near full-strength side — with only Duffy coming in for the injured Sears — shows how settled Walter's plans are. The fitness of Blundell, Conway and Ravindra will be watched closely in the build-up to Wellington, but if they are all available, the BLACKCAPS will fancy their chances of backing up the 2024 whitewash on home soil. For India, the tour is a chance at revenge and a statement series in the World Test Championship race.
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Sources: New Zealand Cricket — BLACKCAPS name strong Test squad for India clash • ICC — New Zealand reveal squad for home Test series against India