New Zealand and India meet in a two-match Test series that starts in Wellington on 19 November 2026, and it matters more than a normal bilateral series. Both teams are still chasing a place in the World Test Championship final, and India have picked a squad built around their strongest fast bowlers.
If you are new to cricket, this is the format that takes five days and can still end in a draw. The two matches will be played in Wellington and Christchurch, where the ball usually moves more than it does in India. This CricketFocus preview covers the schedule, both squads, the injury news and the players who could decide the series.
Quick Answer
The first Test starts in Wellington on 19 November 2026 and the second starts in Christchurch on 27 November. New Zealand captain Tom Latham leads a 14-player squad, while India’s 16-player squad marks the return of Jasprit Bumrah, with Rishabh Pant included subject to fitness clearance.
When and Where Are the Tests?
The series has two matches, and the ICC has confirmed both dates:
- First Test: 19 to 24 November 2026, Wellington
- Second Test: 27 November to 2 December 2026, Christchurch
Play begins in the morning in New Zealand, which is the evening before in the United States. That means the first day at Wellington starts on the evening of Wednesday, 18 November for viewers on the East Coast, and the Christchurch Test starts on the evening of Thursday, 26 November.
Test cricket is played over five days, and a match is only won if a team is bowled out twice or fails to reach its target. That is why a Test can run to the final session on day five and still finish as a draw.
What Is at Stake?
Both matches count toward the World Test Championship, the two-year competition that decides the Test world champion. The final is scheduled for The Oval in England in 2027.
According to the ICC standings at the time New Zealand named their squad, New Zealand sit second behind South Africa, with Australia third and India fourth. With a limited number of matches left in the cycle, every win and every draw changes those positions.
For New Zealand, the goal is a first final since they won the inaugural championship in 2021. For India, a two-time finalist, missing the final would be a significant failure.
New Zealand Squad: Full List and Injury News
New Zealand named a 14-player group on 10 November 2026, as confirmed in the ICC squad announcement. Tom Latham captains the side, and the squad mixes experience with the pace options that suit home conditions.
New Zealand squad: 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, Will Young.
Three players are carrying injury concerns. Blundell has a quadricep problem, Conway is returning from concussion, and Ravindra has a shoulder issue. All three were included anyway, which suggests New Zealand expect them to be available at some stage.
Three fast bowlers are missing. Ben Sears has an ankle injury, Zak Foulkes has a hip problem, and Will O’Rourke is being managed. Jacob Duffy returns to the group after playing in England earlier in the year.
Coach Rob Walter was clear about the importance of the series. “This series marks the start of an exciting summer of Test cricket for the Black Caps,” he said. “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.”
India Squad: Bumrah Returns
India announced a 16-player squad in October, and the headline was Jasprit Bumrah’s return. Bumrah was withdrawn from India’s previous Championship assignment against Sri Lanka, and his availability changes the entire attack.
His record explains why. Bumrah averages 19.79 with the ball in 52 Tests, and he has 29 wickets in this Championship cycle, the third most for India behind Mohammed Siraj with 43 and Ravindra Jadeja with 33.
India squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper, subject to fitness), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
Kuldeep Yadav is back in the Test squad after being left out of the previous match against Sri Lanka. He has 80 wickets in 19 Tests, and he will compete with Jadeja and Washington Sundar for the spinner’s place.
The pace group is deep. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Anshul Kamboj and Nitish Kumar Reddy give India five options alongside Bumrah, which matters in conditions where the ball seams.
Important
Rishabh Pant is in the squad but his place is subject to fitness clearance. He missed the India A tour of New Zealand after an injury at the Irani Trophy, and Dhruv Jurel is the second wicketkeeping option. Squads announced weeks before a Test can also change, so the eleven that walks out in Wellington may look different from these lists.
Why This Series Matters: The 2024 Whitewash
The last time these two teams met in a Test was in 2024, when New Zealand won 3-0 in India. That result was one of the biggest upsets in recent Test cricket, because India had been almost unbeatable at home for years.
That series is the reason this one carries extra weight. New Zealand proved they could win in conditions built for spin, and now they get India at home, on pitches built for seam and swing.
India’s response has been to pick their fastest and most experienced attack. Bumrah, Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are all capable of taking the ball away from the bat, which is what wins Tests in Wellington and Christchurch.
Players to Watch
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Bumrah is one of the best fast bowlers in the world, and his fitness decides India’s series. If he plays both Tests at full pace, India have a genuine chance to win away from home. If he breaks down, the attack becomes much thinner.
Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
Ravindra is a left-handed batter who also bowls spin, and he was named in the squad despite his shoulder problem. He is the player most likely to take the game away from India in a session, and his fitness is one of the big unknowns.
Shubman Gill (India)
Gill captains India in this series. He is also the team’s most technically gifted young batter, and how he handles the moving ball in the first innings of each Test will shape the series.
Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand)
Jamieson is the tall fast bowler who uses bounce and seam movement better than almost anyone in the world. In New Zealand conditions, he is the bowler India will find hardest to score against.
How the Series Could Be Decided
Test cricket in New Zealand is usually decided in two ways: by the team that bats better in the first innings, and by the team that takes wickets with the older ball. Pitches in Wellington and Christchurch tend to help the bowlers early, then flatten out, then become harder to bat on as they wear.
That makes the toss important but not decisive. The bigger factor is patience. A team that bats for 120 overs in the first innings usually wins in these conditions, because it protects the bowlers and puts pressure on the other side’s batting order.
India have the better batting line-up on paper. New Zealand have the better record in these conditions. That is why the series looks close.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Tests are in the New Zealand vs India series?
Two. The first is in Wellington from 19 to 24 November 2026 and the second is in Christchurch from 27 November to 2 December 2026.
Is Jasprit Bumrah playing against New Zealand?
Yes. Bumrah was named in India’s 16-player Test squad after being withdrawn from the previous Championship assignment against Sri Lanka.
Is Rishabh Pant playing in the Test series?
He is in the squad but his selection is subject to fitness clearance. He missed the India A tour of New Zealand after an injury at the Irani Trophy, and Dhruv Jurel is the backup wicketkeeper.
Who captains New Zealand in the Test series?
Tom Latham. He leads a 14-player squad that includes Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Kyle Jamieson.
What time do the Tests start in the United States?
Play starts in the morning in New Zealand, which is the evening before in the US. The first day in Wellington begins on the evening of Wednesday, 18 November for East Coast viewers.
The Bottom Line
This is a short series with a large consequence. New Zealand want a home win to keep their place near the top of the Championship table. India want to prove that their fast bowlers can win away from home, with Bumrah leading the attack and Gill leading the team.
Two Tests, two very different challenges, and a final at The Oval waiting for whoever handles the moving ball better. For a new cricket fan, this is the best introduction to the format there is.
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