India’s road to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final has become significantly tougher after they failed to complete a series sweep against Sri Lanka. Although the series victory gave the team some breathing room, India now need at least 62 points from their remaining seven Tests, and even that tally may not guarantee a place in the WTC final. Currently fifth in the WTC standings, India face a demanding schedule ahead.
Their next red-ball assignment is a two-Test tour of New Zealand, followed by a five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia on home soil early next year. With the Australia series expected to be crucial, India captain Shubman Gill wants his Test players to get valuable red-ball preparation. Gill has reportedly suggested that some members of the Test squad feature in the upcoming India A versus Australia A series, scheduled from September 22 to October 2.
The idea is to provide India’s batters with quality match practice, particularly on pitches that offer some assistance to spin. Indian batters have struggled against spin during recent home Tests, making exposure to challenging conditions against Australia A potentially useful ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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However, the plan has run into a scheduling hurdle. The second India A-Australia A match overlaps with the Irani Cup, which begins in Jammu and Kashmir on October 1. The selectors could therefore face a difficult choice over player availability. If too many Test specialists are released for the India A series, the Rest of India side for the Irani Cup could be weakened. That could affect the quality of one of India’s most important domestic red-ball fixtures.
According to a Times of India report, a source said Shubman Gill believes giving a few batters game time against Australia A on pitches expected to offer turn could help them prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the source also highlighted the limited availability of Test players because of the congested schedule.
🏮 SHUBMAN GILL WANTS SPIN FRIENDLY PITCH! 🤯
– According to Times of India report gill wants spin friendly preparation before the border gavaskar trophy (BGT)
– It means gill also knows that flat picthes DISTROYING indian batman batting ability and they are struggling with… pic.twitter.com/0rszUdjtrt
— VK (@Aur_vicky) September 2, 2026
India’s calendar is particularly crowded during this period. The team are scheduled to host the West Indies in an ODI series beginning September 27, while several players are also expected to travel to Japan for the Asian Games starting September 17. As a result, the selectors may have to rely on reserve players for parts of the ODI series, further limiting the number of established Test players available for the Australia A fixtures.
The situation becomes even more complicated with India’s upcoming New Zealand tour. The multi-format assignment includes five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, beginning with the T20I series on October 22. Around the same period, India A are scheduled to play three red-ball matches against New Zealand A. The two-Test series against New Zealand will begin only four days after the ODI series concludes, leaving the Test squad with limited preparation time.
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Given the logistical challenges, India’s management has reportedly submitted a list of around 60 players to the BCCI to arrange visas for the New Zealand tour in advance. Reports also suggest that some Test specialists could be released from the ODI squad midway through the series, allowing them additional time to prepare for the crucial Tests. With India’s WTC qualification hopes at stake, effective workload management and sufficient red-ball preparation could prove decisive in the months ahead.
