The BCCI announced a 16-member squad on October 16, 2026 for India's two-match away Test series against New Zealand, beginning November 19. The squad included established spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, with Shubman Gill named as captain and KL Rahul as vice-captain. The selection raised questions about the exclusion of young spinner Manav Suthar, who has impressed in recent Test appearances.
Cheteshwar Pujara, the former India batter, stated that Suthar should be part of the Test squad, noting that his absence was surprising given the demands of the upcoming tour and the subsequent five-Test series against Australia. Pujara emphasised that the New Zealand tour represented a crucial opportunity for Suthar to gain overseas experience before India's Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign.
"I think someone like Manav Suthar should be part of the Test squad. And if you look at this, his name is missing. And that is very surprising because you… I mean, yes, I know that he may not play both Test matches, but he shouldn’t be out of the squad," Pujara said to Star Sports.
Why Pujara believes Suthar should have been selected?
Suthar made his Test debut on June 6, 2026 against Afghanistan and has played three Test matches, taking 23 wickets. His performances included 7 wickets against Afghanistan and 10 and 6 wickets respectively in two Tests against Sri Lanka. Pujara argued that Suthar's domestic record alone was insufficient justification for his exclusion from the touring party.
"So I don't know how they are judging this side. But I feel that someone like Manav Suthar should be there even as a 17th man because he should be part of that setup. And I'm telling this the reason is it's not just these two Test matches. India… If the Indian team has to qualify for the WTC finals, you're also likely to play five Test matches. I mean, India is going to play five test matches against Australia. And someone like Manav Suthar will be a key bowler in that setup," said Pujara.
Suthar's Test record and domestic experience
Pujara stressed that Suthar's Ranji Trophy experience, while valuable, should not be the primary consideration for squad selection. The former India batter highlighted that playing in different conditions outside India is essential for young players to develop their skills and prepare for high-pressure international assignments.
"For Manav Suthar, having that experience of playing Ranji Trophy, I think it's not important. He has played enough Ranji Trophy; that's why he's been part of India's Test squad. And he has performed well with the team. So I think this was the best opportunity for him to travel to New Zealand, learn bowling in those conditions. And because whenever India goes to, say, New Zealand, whether it's England, New Zealand, Australia, playing outside India, that is the experience which you want for a young player," said Pujara.
Pujara reflected on the rarity of India's tours to New Zealand and the limited opportunities available for young cricketers to gain experience in those conditions. He noted that the Indian team does not travel to New Zealand frequently, making each tour a valuable learning opportunity.
"Actually, it’s slightly unfortunate because I’ve played for the Indian team for, I mean, 10, 12, 13 years, but I’ve only been to New Zealand twice. “So the Indian team actually doesn’t travel to New Zealand quite often. It’s every, I think, five or six years; you just go to New Zealand,." Pujara said.
"So gaining that experience will always be a challenge for any Indian cricketer, whether you are playing the red ball, whether we are playing the white ball. “So you will never gain that experience of playing in New Zealand. You only have a limited opportunity, and you have to make the most of it," he added.
The value of overseas exposure for young bowlers
Pujara also expressed concern about India's pace bowling setup for the New Zealand Tests, particularly in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He highlighted the inexperience within the seam bowling contingent and suggested that the team management would need to rely on younger bowlers to fill the gap.
"So Arshdeep, Siraj and Gurnoor. I think they might be the three guys who might play in the XI if Prasidh is not available," Pujara said.
The Indian team management indicated that Suthar was being preserved for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, viewing him as part of their long-term planning. The selectors' decision to exclude Suthar reflected a belief that New Zealand conditions would favour seamers more than spinners. Among the spinners in the squad, only Ravindra Jadeja had prior experience of bowling with the red ball in New Zealand in Test matches, which added another dimension to the selection strategy.
