Gurnoor Brar added to India Test squad, Kuldeep Yadav released
Gurnoor Brar gets a maiden Test call-up for India's two-match series against New Zealand starting 19 November, while Kuldeep Yadav is released.
Livefeed News DeskUpdated · 2 min read
Quick answer
India have added 26-year-old pacer Gurnoor Brar to their Test squad for the two-match series against New Zealand, which begins on 19 November in Wellington. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been released to play domestic cricket in India, and Rishabh Pant has been declared fit.
Key facts
- Gurnoor Brar, 26, has received his first Test call-up.
- Brar leads the wicket-taking chart in the ODI series against New Zealand with nine wickets.
- Kuldeep Yadav is released to play domestic cricket in India.
- Rishabh Pant has been declared fit and joined the squad in Wellington.
- The two Tests are in Wellington from 19 November and then Christchurch.
Why Gurnoor Brar was picked
Gurnoor Brar has been added to India's squad for the World Test Championship series against New Zealand. It is a maiden Test call-up for the 26-year-old.
He has done well in New Zealand conditions in the ongoing ODI series, topping the wicket-taking chart with nine wickets. He has also been a regular in India A sides in recent months and has 71 first-class wickets in 22 matches.
Kuldeep Yadav released
Kuldeep Yadav leaves the Test squad. The BCCI said in its release: "Kuldeep Yadav will be released from the Test squad in order to play the ongoing domestic cricket back in India".
Headlines from Cricbuzz and Telegraph India also describe Kuldeep going out and Brar coming in, though their article text was not available.
Pant fit, Brar to miss final ODI
Brar will join the Test squad in Wellington and will miss the final ODI against New Zealand, which India lead 2-1 going into the fifth match.
Rishabh Pant's inclusion had been subject to fitness when the squad was announced. After an extensive stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, the wicketkeeper-batter has been declared fit and has joined the squad in Wellington.
India's updated Test squad
The squad is Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, 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.
The two-match series starts on 19 November in Wellington, with the second and final Test in Christchurch.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Gurnoor Brar?
He is a 26-year-old who has been a regular for India A and has 71 wickets in 22 first-class matches.
Why was Kuldeep Yadav released?
The BCCI said he was released so he could play ongoing domestic cricket in India.
When does India's Test series against New Zealand start?
It starts on 19 November in Wellington, followed by a second Test in Christchurch.
Is Rishabh Pant fit?
Yes, he was declared fit after a stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and has joined the squad in Wellington.
