Pant awaits fitness clearance as Bumrah returns for New Zealand tests

Oct 16 - Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was named in India's squad for next month's two-test series in New Zealand on Friday, subject to fitness clearance, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah returned to the side.

The Shubman Gill-led test squad featured few surprises, with selectors retaining the core of the team, including all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Pant was recently ruled out of the first two India A test matches against New Zealand with a left side strain but was included in the senior squad pending medical clearance.

India begin the two-match test series in Wellington on November 19 before the second and final match in Christchurch from November 27.

India also named squads for the accompanying five-match ODI series, with Gill set to captain the side in the opening three matches before Shreyas Iyer takes charge for the final two as they continue their preparations for next year's ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retained their places in the ODI squad, while Bumrah was selected only for the test leg of the tour.

The ODI series starts in Auckland on November 4 and concludes in Mount Maunganui on November 15.

INDIA'S SQUAD FOR THE FIRST THREE ODIs

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, Kuldeep Yadav.

INDIA'S SQUAD FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH ODIs

Shreyas Iyer (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (WK, VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav.

INDIA'S TEST SQUAD

Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (WK)*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.