India vs New Zealand Test: BCCI announces squad, Jasprit Bumrah named vice-captain

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on October 11 announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand.

Jasprit Bumrah has been named the vice-captain of the Test team given his brilliant performances in the longest format for a number of years.

India is all set to face New Zealand from October 17, with the first match scheduled at Bengaluru's M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.

It must be mentioned that the selection committee has retained the same squad from the recent two-match Test series against Bangladesh which India won by 2-0. 

Bumrah recently reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings, dethroning his teammate Ravichandran Ashwin from the pole position. 

The speedster finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the series against Bangladesh with 11 wickets to his name from two matches at an average of 12.81.

Ever since his return to the Indian team in August 2023 after a back surgery, Bumrah has been in phenomenal form across formats. In Tests, he has scalped 42 wickets from eight matches after his comeback at an outstanding average of 14.69 with best figures of 6/45. 

The 30-year-old has scalped 170 wickets so far from 38 Tests at an average of 20.18 with ten five-wicket hauls to his name. Bumrah has also captained India once, during the rescheduled fifth Test match against England in July 2022 in Edgbaston.

Having been awarded the vice-captaincy, Bumrah will look to play an even more proactive role in the team’s strategy on the field.