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India A begin their three-match four-day series against New Zealand A in Lincoln on October 24, with senior batters KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal among the players expected to benefit from red-ball practice in local conditions. The opening match runs through October 27 at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University, and forms part of India’s preparation for the senior team’s two-Test tour later in November.
The squad is led by wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel and includes several players with international experience, including Rahul, Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal. Rishabh Pant will not feature in the first two matches after sustaining a left-side strain while captaining Rest of India in the Irani Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India named Kumar Kushagra as his replacement for those fixtures.
The four-day matches offer India A’s batters a chance to adjust to New Zealand conditions before the senior Test series begins. Rahul and Jaiswal bring experience at the international level, while players seeking to strengthen their claims for future opportunities can use the longer format to demonstrate patience and adaptability away from home.
Red-ball cricket in unfamiliar conditions can test technique and decision-making over several sessions rather than just a short period. For India A, the series provides an opportunity to build time at the crease and assess how the batting group responds to the demands of a multi-day contest. The matches also give bowlers a chance to develop rhythm and workload ahead of the senior team’s Test assignment.
Pant was initially named for the New Zealand A tour subject to fitness clearance, but the BCCI subsequently ruled him out of the first two matches. The injury occurred while he was leading Rest of India in the Irani Cup. The board said he remained under the care of its medical team and was recovering, with his availability for the third match to be assessed later.
Kumar Kushagra was added to the squad for the opening two fixtures. Jurel, already named captain and wicketkeeper, is expected to handle the primary wicketkeeping responsibility during Pant’s absence. Kushagra brings recent domestic red-ball experience: India Today reported that he had scored a century in the Duleep Trophy final and another against Australia A in Puducherry.
Pant’s fitness also matters in the wider context of India’s upcoming Test series, although his availability for that assignment has not been confirmed by the injury update alone. He was included in the senior Test squad subject to fitness clearance, according to reports, and the medical assessment will determine the next steps.
The first match takes place in Lincoln from October 24 to 27. The second is scheduled for Christchurch from October 31 to November 3, followed by the third in Lincoln from November 7 to 10. The sequence provides three opportunities for players to adapt to the conditions and build match fitness before the senior team’s first Test, scheduled to begin in Wellington on November 19.
The A-team fixtures also have to be managed alongside India’s wider tour calendar. Several players in the squad have roles in the senior setup, and availability may change as the ODI and Test assignments approach. Rahul, for example, is expected to join India’s ODI group after the opening four-day fixture, according to reporting on the tour schedule.
For India A, the immediate priorities are a solid start with the bat, disciplined bowling and using the full four days to prepare for the next match. The presence of established players gives the younger members of the squad an opportunity to learn from experienced teammates, while the conditions provide a practical test ahead of the senior team’s World Test Championship campaign.
New Zealand A will also be keen to make home advantage count at Lincoln. The opening match starts a three-game sequence rather than a one-off contest, so both sides will be balancing the desire to compete with the broader aim of preparing players for future international responsibilities. India A’s tour begins on October 24, with the senior two-Test series to follow in November.
