India's Test squad for the tour of New Zealand drew considerable attention, not just for who was included but for some notable omissions.
Several domestic performers had put together strong red-ball campaigns that made a compelling case for selection. The selectors had difficult choices to make, and not every deserving player could find a place in the final squad.
Here are 3 Indian players who deserved to be in Test team for NZ tour:
3. Auqib Nabi Dar
Auqib Nabi Dar was the standout bowler of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 60 wickets across 17 innings at a bowling average of 12.65. The right-arm medium bowler from Jammu and Kashmir took eight five-wicket hauls, a tally equal to the most by any pacer in a first-class season in India. His 60 wickets rank as the seventh-highest by any bowler in a single Ranji Trophy edition and the third-highest among fast bowlers, behind Jaydev Unadkat's 67 in 2019-20 and Dodda Ganesh's 62 in 1998-99.
Nabi was named Player of the Series as Jammu and Kashmir claimed their maiden Ranji Trophy title, with Karnataka as runners-up. He also became the first J&K bowler to take 50-plus wickets in a Ranji Trophy edition and the first to top the bowling charts in any Ranji season. Across all senior men's domestic tournaments in 2025-26, Nabi claimed 95 wickets, the second-highest aggregate for any bowler in a season in India behind Unadkat's 105 in 2019-20. Despite this, the selectors rewarded Haryana's Anshul Kamboj with a maiden Test call-up, while Nabi was included in the India A red-ball squad and the latter part of the senior ODI squad.
2. Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami is a seasoned Test campaigner whose red-ball credentials are well established. Shami picked up 37 wickets for Bengal in the previous Ranji season at an average of 16.72, underlining that his appetite for first-class cricket remained strong.
His ability to move the ball at pace and maintain consistent seam position makes him a particularly relevant option on the green, bouncy surfaces typically found in Wellington and Christchurch. Pairing him with Jasprit Bumrah in Test conditions in New Zealand would have given India a potent new-ball combination. His experience in overseas Test cricket and his record of performing in challenging conditions added further weight to his case for inclusion on this tour.
1. Mukesh Kumar
Mukesh Kumar is a disciplined line-and-length bowler who relies on consistency and accuracy to trouble batters. Known for regularly hitting the 6–8 metre length, he can build pressure by restricting scoring opportunities and extracting subtle movement off the pitch.
His approach resembles the methods employed by New Zealand pacers, who often rely on disciplined bowling and movement to succeed in home conditions. Mukesh impressed with the ball, claiming 12 wickets in the Duleep Trophy and eight wickets in the 2026–27 Irani Cup.
