Ishan Kishan is emerging as a primary candidate for India’s upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand in late November. Although the selection committee is still deliberating ahead of their meeting this week, Kishan’s recent form in the Duleep Trophy has intensified internal discussions regarding his potential return to the red-ball format after a three-year hiatus. But there is a possibility that he will be considered for the two Tests in New Zealand in late November, it is not a shoo-in yet. But more than likely, a large chunk of the discussion will centre on Ishan when the selectors sit down to pick the squad for the New Zealand tour, how the national selection committee navigates the situation of three wicketkeepers remains to be seen.
Kishan’s recent domestic performance has been prolific, highlighted by a dominant showing as captain of the East Zone. He amassed 409 runs across three games at an average exceeding 100, capped by scores of 270 and 80 in the final against South Zone. This performance earned him Player of the Match honors and forced selectors to reconsider his role, as he has also established himself as India’s leading run-scorer in T20Is for 2026 with 1,005 runs.
Integrating Kishan presents a selection dilemma for the management, as Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel have both established themselves in the side throughout India’s previous five Tests. Adding a third wicketkeeper-batter could be viewed as an luxury, though proponents within the team believe his current form is too significant to ignore. Kishan remains a versatile option who frequently plays as a specialist batter in white-ball cricket. Particularly within the team management, that he makes a strong case for a Test recall, but there seems to be a school of thought among stakeholders.
The upcoming squad selection will also address the bowling attack for the New Zealand tour. Akash Deep is viewed as an essential inclusion for the specific conditions, while Mukesh Kumar has bolstered his standing after helping the Rest of India to an Irani Cup victory and securing 12 wickets over three Duleep Trophy matches. Claiming 12 wickets in three games, the Bengal seamer had a good Duleep Trophy campaign too for East.
Beyond the established pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Gurnoor Brar, the selectors are evaluating additional depth. Prasidh Krishna is showing fitness improvements, and Harshit Rana has resumed bowling at the Centre of Excellence, though his full recovery status remains uncertain. Most of the roster from the previous tour of England, led by Shubman Gill, remains in contention for selection pending individual injury assessments.
