The last seam spot should go to Auqib Nabi. Sixteen players were picked on 16 October for the New Zealand Tests, and the final pace place went to Anshul Kamboj even though Nabi topped the Ranji Trophy for 2025-26 on 60 wickets. His strike rate and average make the strongest case for a change, and a squad already stacked with seamers can afford to back form over reputation. Selectors chose the one-Test bowler instead. The ICC expects seam and bounce in New Zealand, which suits him.
Settling the NZ vs IND 2026 Test Nabi vs Kamboj Seam Question
Wellington hosts the series opener on 19 November, with Christchurch staging the second Test from 27 November. Conditions there are described by the ICC as friendly to pace and seam, with bounce expected to matter. That profile rewards bowlers who hit the pitch hard and take wickets rather than build pressure.
Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep join Bumrah, Siraj and Kamboj in the pace group, and Nitish Kumar Reddy adds seam bowling from the all-rounder slot. Nobody has named a fifth specialist seamer, so the last place is genuinely open.
Bowler | Matches | Wickets | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nabi, Ranji 2025-26 | 10 | 60 | 12.56 | 28.43 |
Nabi, first-class career | 43 | 162 | 18.63 | Not listed |
Kamboj, first-class career | 33 | 104 | 23.86 | 46.7 |
Kamboj, Tests | 1 | 1 | 89.00 | 108.0 |
A Season That Dominated the Ranji Trophy
Across 10 matches, Nabi collected 60 wickets at 12.56, backed by a 28.43 strike rate and a best of 7/24. Mayank Mishra came next on 59 wickets at 17.69, so the gap to the rest of the field was small, but Nabi’s rate of striking was far sharper. Jammu and Kashmir claimed a maiden Ranji crown on the back of those returns.
His career tally stands at 162 first-class wickets from 43 matches, averaging 18.63. India A also used him in Sri Lanka, where he took six wickets in two games, and a spell with Surrey brought eight more in two matches, with 4/36 against Glamorgan his best. He was named as a replacement for Bumrah in the Sri Lanka Tests, yet Kamil Mishara and Saransh Jain were the debutants. That history shows the selectors know his name well, which makes leaving him out of the main squad harder to explain.
Weighing the Value of Test Experience
Old Trafford hosted his only Test, on 23 July 2025, where he finished with 1/89 versus England, and selectors dropped him afterwards. In first-class cricket, he owns 104 wickets from 33 matches, averaging 23.86, with a best innings return of 10/49. Those are respectable numbers.
They still sit upwards of five runs above Nabi’s career mark of 18.63. His Test line of 1/89 translates to a strike rate of 108.0 balls per wicket, a long way behind the 28.43 that Nabi produced in the Ranji Trophy. His claim leans mainly on having bowled at Test level, and one Test is thin evidence for a selection that should reward the strongest current form.
Bumrah and Siraj Lead the Pace Pack
Siraj tops India’s list for the current World Test Championship cycle with 43 wickets, and Bumrah follows on 29. Bumrah comes back after a left knee injury forced him to miss the Sri Lanka series, which restores the senior partnership that anchors the attack. With 43 and 29 wickets between them, the two leaders give India a dependable spine.
Reddy’s all-round skills, plus Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna, round out the group. The final berth therefore comes down to Kamboj against a bowler who struck faster than any other leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy.
Wicket-Taking Form Should Win Out
Nabi should get the nod. His 28.43 strike rate translates to a wicket every five overs or so, while Kamboj’s career figure is closer to a wicket per 47 deliveries. That is a decisive gap in a format where twenty wickets must fall. New Zealand rewards attackers rather than containers, and across two Ranji seasons Nabi has taken 104 wickets.
There is a fair counterpoint, as domestic surfaces differ from Test surfaces and Nabi is yet to make his debut. Even so, with Bumrah and Siraj already heading the attack, the NZ vs IND 2026 Test Nabi vs Kamboj choice should favour strike power against a one-Test sample.
Would you pick Nabi on Ranji numbers alone, or does Kamboj’s Test debut matter more? Share your pick below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Has Auqib Nabi been picked for the New Zealand Tests?
No, he missed the cut when the squad was named on 16 October. He does appear in the ODI group, but only for the fourth and fifth matches of that series.
Which fast bowlers are in India’s New Zealand Test squad?
Kamboj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Siraj and Bumrah are the named pacers. Nitish Kumar Reddy adds a sixth seam option as an all-rounder, so the squad carries plenty of choices.
Why was Nabi left out of India’s Test squad?
India have not offered an official reason for the omission. Abhinav Mukund, a former India batter, felt Nabi would have good reason to be upset about it.
Who is Anshul Kamboj?
Kamboj is a fast bowler who debuted for India in Tests at Old Trafford. He played on 23 July 2025 and returned 1/89 against them before being omitted, and his first-class record shows 104 wickets.
When does the first Test between India and New Zealand begin?
The first Test begins in Wellington on 19 November 2026. Play starts at 3:30 am IST, and the second Test is in Christchurch, starting 27 November.