India add Gurnoor Brar to their Test squad for New Zealand and release Kuldeep Yadav
India's selectors have added fast bowler Gurnoor Brar to the squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand starting on 19 November in Wellington, and released spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the Test squad to play domestic cricket in India, the BCCI said on Saturday. Brar will link up with the Test squad and will not be available for Sunday's fifth and final one-day international, for which no replacement will be named; Kuldeep remains in the ODI squad for that match.
Key points
- Gurnoor Brar is added to India's 16-man Test squad for New Zealand; Kuldeep Yadav is released to play domestic cricket.
- The two-Test series starts on 19 November in Wellington.
- Brar misses Sunday's fifth ODI to join the Test squad, with no ODI replacement named; Kuldeep stays in the ODI squad for that match.
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- Brar has nine wickets in the three completed ODIs of the tour and is yet to play a Test.
What happened
The change strengthens India's pace options for the Wellington Test: Brar joins Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep and Anshul Kamboj in a squad whose spin will be carried by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, with Nitish Kumar Reddy as the seam-bowling all-rounder.
Kuldeep's release is for domestic cricket in India, the BCCI said; he is still listed in the one-day squad for Sunday's series finale before he leaves the Test party.
Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedThe Men's Selection Committee has added Gurnoor Brar to India's squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand, starting 19 November 2026 in Wellington, and Kuldeep Yadav will be released from the Test squad to play the ongoing domestic cricket back in India, the BCCI said.BCCI — Squad update: Gurnoor Brar added to India's Test squad; Kuldeep Yadav released (14 Nov 2026) · Reuters — India add Brar to Test squad for New Zealand series, release Kuldeep (14 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedIndia's updated Test squad of 16 is: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj and Gurnoor Brar; Pant has joined the Test squad in Wellington.BCCI — Squad update: Gurnoor Brar added to India's Test squad; Kuldeep Yadav released (14 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedBrar will link up with the Test squad and will not be available for the fifth ODI, and no replacement will be named for the final ODI; Kuldeep remains in the ODI squad for that match.BCCI — Squad update: Gurnoor Brar added to India's Test squad; Kuldeep Yadav released (14 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedBrar, 26 and yet to play a Test, took nine wickets in the three completed ODIs of this tour, with returns of 3 for 44, 4 for 30 and 2 for 69, ESPNcricinfo reports.ESPNcricinfo — Gurnoor Brar replaces Kuldeep Yadav in India's Test squad (14 Nov 2026)
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- The squad change, the 16-man Test squad and the ODI arrangements are the BCCI's own announcement.
What we don't know yet
- Whether Brar makes the playing XI in Wellington, or makes his Test debut in the series — the teams are named at the match.
- Why the selectors preferred an extra seamer — the advisory gives no reasoning beyond Kuldeep's domestic-cricket release.