India's preparations for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand are gathering pace, with Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy set to join the India A squad for their respective four-day matches against New Zealand A.
The move will give the duo valuable red-ball game time ahead of the two-Test series, which begins on November 19, and the India A fixtures will offer the players an opportunity to build match fitness and rhythm before the Tests.
Siraj will link up with India A for the second four-day match, starting October 31, while Nitish will remain with the senior team's ODI squad for the series opener against New Zealand on November 4 and then join India A for the third and final four-day fixture.
There is also a significant development on the fitness front, with Prasidh Krishna likely to return to action in the final India A clash, subject to clearing his Return to Play assessment.
The pacer was ruled out of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand due to a hamstring injury, and the final India A match could provide him with the practice he needs as he builds towards the two-Test series.
Siraj and Nitish to get red-ball game time
Siraj's inclusion in the second four-day match will give him an opportunity to build rhythm ahead of the New Zealand Tests, and the right-arm pacer has been one of India's key fast-bowling options in the longest format, with 144 wickets in 48 Test appearances.
Nitish, meanwhile, has scored 396 runs and taken eight wickets in 10 Test matches, including a memorable maiden century against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
His last Test appearance came against South Africa in the second Test in Guwahati in November 2025, where he scored 10 off 21 balls in India's first innings and returned figures of 0 for 49 with the ball.
The 23-year-old has also been in action during India's ongoing white-ball campaign, playing a crucial role in the second T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch, where he scored an unbeaten 26 off 13 balls, combined with Tilak Varma in a match-winning partnership, and picked up a wicket.
Prasidh eyes India A return
Prasidh Krishna's potential return to action is another important development in India's preparations, as the pacer sustained a hamstring injury during the ODI series against the West Indies and has since been working towards regaining full fitness.
Although he has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, Prasidh is expected to join India A for the third and final four-day match against New Zealand A, with his inclusion subject to clearing the Return to Play assessment.
The fixture could provide Prasidh with the match practice he needs as he builds towards the two-Test series against New Zealand, and for India, having the fast bowler available again would be a welcome boost to their pace-bowling options.
