India A begin three-match unofficial Test series vs New Zealand A

India A and New Zealand A start a three-match unofficial Test series on Saturday, 24 October, with the first four-day game at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. The series is listed as India A in New Zealand 2026 (three four-day matches).

India A are led by wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel. Their squad features senior-team members KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, and the four-day opener is preparation for the senior team’s World Test Championship assignment, which starts on 19 November in Wellington.

Venues and schedule

The Bert Sutcliffe Oval will also stage the third and final game, starting on 7 November. The second match begins on 31 October at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

The series is a shadow tour that runs alongside India’s senior men’s tour of New Zealand, which began on Thursday, 22 October with the five-match T20I series.

Squads

Alongside Rahul and Jaiswal, the India A squad has Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan and pacers Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj and Mukesh Kumar.

Canterbury’s Rhys Mariu will captain New Zealand A in the first two matches, and the captain for the third will be decided later. New Zealand have named a 19-member A squad, and Henry Nicholls is the only Test regular in it.

Kushagra replaces Pant

Kumar Kushagra replaces the injured Rishabh Pant for the first two matches. Pant sustained a left side strain while leading Rest of India in the Irani Cup. A decision on his availability for the third match will be taken at a later stage.

Senior team clash in scheduling

India’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand begins on 4 November. That scheduling could affect the availability of some senior players for the whole A series.