Gurnoor Brar Added to India's Test Squad as Kuldeep Yadav Is Released

The BCCI has added pacer Gurnoor Brar to India's squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been released from the squad. The BCCI announced the change on Saturday, November 14. The first Test starts on November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Kuldeep was released so that he can play domestic cricket back in India. He had been part of the original Test squad. He got only one game on this tour. That came in the fourth ODI at Mount Maunganui, where he went for 73 runs in eight overs without a wicket.

Brar will now link up with the Test squad. This means he will not be available for the fifth and final ODI on Sunday, November 15, at Bay Oval. India did not name a replacement for him in that match.

Brar earned his place with strong displays in the ODI series. He took 3 for 44 in the first ODI at Eden Park. He then took 4 for 30 in the second ODI in Wellington. He bowled 10 overs in that match, including two maidens.

India's updated Test squad 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.

With Kuldeep out, the squad's spin options are Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. The pace group has Bumrah, Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep and Brar, along with Anshul Kamboj as a bowling all-rounder.

The two Tests are the next leg of the tour after the ODI series. The second Test starts on November 27 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. India need strong results in this series to stay in contention in the World Test Championship.