New Zealand have named a 14-man squad for the two-Test series against India, with Tom Latham captaining the side and fast bowler Jacob Duffy recalled to the group.

The squad was announced on Monday, 10 November, ahead of the first Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington on 19 November. The second Test follows at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from 27 November, and both matches count towards the ICC World Test Championship.

Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Tom Blundell have all been included despite fitness doubts, with the trio aiming to be ready for the series opener. Blundell has been managing a quadriceps problem, while Conway has been recovering from concussion. Duffy returns to the Test group, while Ben Sears, Zak Foulkes and Will O’Rourke are absent, with Sears out with an ankle injury, Foulkes with a hip injury and O’Rourke being managed.

Continuity from the England tour

The squad is largely the same group that toured England earlier this year, and head coach Rob Walter said the selectors had valued that continuity as New Zealand begin a busy stretch of red-ball cricket.

“This series marks the start of an exciting summer of Test cricket for the Black Caps,” Walter said. “The squad is largely consistent with the team that competed in England earlier this year, so it’ll be great to be back together to try and recreate some of that success on home soil.”

Walter added that New Zealand have 10 Tests scheduled between now and March, and that Championship points are on the line against a high-quality India side. New Zealand are aiming to reach the World Test Championship Final for the first time since they won the inaugural mace in 2021.

New Zealand Test squad for the India series

• Tom Latham (captain)
• Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper)
• Devon Conway
• Jacob Duffy
• Matt Henry
• Kyle Jamieson
• Daryl Mitchell
• Henry Nicholls
• Glenn Phillips
• Rachin Ravindra
• Mitchell Santner
• Nathan Smith
• Blair Tickner
• Will Young

The pace attack is led by Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, with Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner also in the group, while Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips provide spin and all-round options alongside the batting of Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls and Will Young.

The series will also mark the start of BJ Watling’s tenure as New Zealand’s batting coach, with the former wicketkeeper due to begin in the role on 16 November.

India, captained by Shubman Gill, have already named a 16-man squad for the tour. Rishabh Pant’s place in that squad remains subject to a final fitness check on 12 November, with Dhruv Jurel named as the second wicketkeeper. Read the full squad announcement on ICC Cricket and the reaction on Cricbuzz.