India will play two Tests in New Zealand in late November, and Ishan Kishan is in the running for a spot in the team. The national selection committee is set to meet soon to announce the touring party. His inclusion is not a given, but the selectors are likely to give his recent red-ball form a lot of thought.

The talk has been about Ishan Kishan Duleep Trophy quest. His 270 and 80 in the final against South Zone as captain of East Zone won the game for his team. During the event, he scored 409 runs at an average of over 100 in three games and was named Player of the Match in the final. He has also been very good at white-ball cricket. In 2026, he scored 1,005 runs to lead India’s T20I run charts.

The debate gets more difficult when it comes to keeping wickets. Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel have both played in India’s last five Tests and done well, so the selectors will have to think carefully about how to make way for a third gloveman.

Why should we care about Ishan Kishan’s Test case?

Ishan Kishan has only played in two Tests, and it’s been more than three years since his last game. Even with that gap, there is a clear view among team management that his current performance calls for a red-ball recall. His Duleep Trophy numbers have given people faith in his ability at that level again, and some people think that performances of that calibre can’t just be forgotten.

The way he is usually used in white-ball cricket is something that could work in his favour. In limited-overs teams, Ishan Kishan usually bats as a specialist in the top order rather than as a wicketkeeper-batter. This means that selectors might think about him in a similar role for the Test format, which would make having three glovemen less of a worry.

Who else is in the running for the Tests in New Zealand?

The pace bowling group gives the selectors a lot of choices. Many people think that Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Gurnoor Brar will be there, and Prasidh Krishna’s availability is also said to be getting better. People think that Akash Deep will do especially well in New Zealand, and Mukesh Kumar has made his case stronger by performing consistently across all forms.

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Bengal seamer Mukesh took 12 wickets in three Duleep Trophy games for East Zone. He also played a key role in helping Rest of India win the Irani Cup, which just ended. Harshit Rana is back to bowling at the Center of Excellence, but it hasn’t been proven that he is fully healthy. Most of the players who went on the India tour of England with Shubman Gill are likely to be in the running again, as long as they don’t get hurt.

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