Players from both India and Zimbabwe wore black armbands during the first T20I between the two sides in Raipur on October 16, 2026. Match officials also participated in the tribute, and a moment of silence was observed before the start of play.

The gesture was made in honour of former Zimbabwe cricketer and umpire Sarah Dambanevana, who passed away in Harare on October 14, 2026, at the age of 36. She had remained in hospital since undergoing a medical procedure in March 2026.

The BCCI confirmed the tribute ahead of the match.

“The Indian Cricket Team, Zimbabwe Cricket Team and match officials are wearing black arm bands and observed a moment of silence in honour and memory of former Zimbabwe cricketer and umpire Sarah Dambanevana, following her recent passing,” wrote BCCI on X.

Who was Sarah Dambanevana?

Sarah Dambanevana was a fast bowler who represented the Zimbabwe women’s team from 2009 to 2014. During her playing career, she was part of the Zimbabwe squad that competed at the 2011 Women’s World Cup Qualifier, one of the most significant tournaments the side featured in during that era.

After retiring from playing, Dambanevana transitioned into umpiring and quickly made her mark. She became the first female umpire from Zimbabwe to join the ICC Development Umpires Panel in 2022, a landmark achievement that opened the door for her international career as an official.

She made her international umpiring debut on September 2, 2023, in a Kenya versus Botswana women’s T20I held in Gaborone, Botswana. Over the course of her umpiring career, she went on to officiate in 72 senior international matches, comprising 48 women’s T20Is, 14 women’s ODIs and 10 men’s T20Is. Her final match as an umpire was a T20I between Ireland and Thailand on February 1, 2026, during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier held in Nepal.

What milestones did Dambanevana achieve as an umpire?

Dambanevana accumulated a remarkable set of firsts during her umpiring career, cementing her place as a trailblazer for Zimbabwean women in cricket administration. She officiated at the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, becoming the first Zimbabwean female umpire to stand in that tournament.

She was also part of the historic all-female panel of match officials at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, which was held across India and Sri Lanka. That appointment underlined the trust the ICC had placed in her abilities on the biggest stages of the women’s game.

In 2026, she stood as an umpire in the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup final between England and India, becoming the first Zimbabwean woman to officiate in a World Cup final of any format. Her passing has drawn tributes from across the cricket world, with the teams and officials at the Raipur T20I choosing to honour her memory through the black armband gesture and a moment of silence.

The BCCI announced a 16-member squad on October 16, 2026, for the two-Test series in New Zealand, bringing back Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj and Akash Deep while naming Rishabh Pant subject to a fitness clearance following a side strain he sustained in the Irani Cup.

Bumrah’s return is the most significant selection call in this squad. The pace spearhead has not appeared in a single Test throughout 2026, with his last appearance coming during India’s tour of South Africa in late 2025. Auqib Nabi, the Jammu and Kashmir seamer who stepped in for the Sri Lanka Tests in Bumrah’s absence, has not been retained for this assignment.

Shubman Gill continues as captain with KL Rahul as vice-captain. The first Test runs from November 19 to 23 at Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington, four days after the fifth and final ODI at Mount Maunganui on November 15. The second Test follows at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1 2026. For the final two ODIs of the tour, the BCCI has named a separate squad, with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav the only players common to both groups.

What is the fitness situation around Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar?

Pant’s place in the squad carries a condition. The wicketkeeper-batter picked up a side strain during the Irani Cup and will need clearance from the BCCI medical team before he can take part in the series. Dhruv Jurel has been named as the second wicketkeeper and is in line to start if Pant does not pass fit in time.

Washington Sundar is also back in the Test setup after sitting out both matches in Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury. His inclusion alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav hands India three specialist spin options as they prepare for conditions in New Zealand.

Which players are returning after time away from the Test side?

Akash Deep’s most recent Test appearance came on India’s 2025 England tour. He subsequently sustained a lower-back injury that kept him out of action from the IPL onwards, and his selection here indicates the BCCI medical staff are satisfied with his recovery. Kamboj also played his only Test to date on that England tour before being left out, making this squad his first return to the format since then.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, whose last Test outing was against South Africa in 2025, is back in the group. Sai Sudharsan, who was absent from the Sri Lanka tour after sustaining a toe injury, has also been included. Devdutt Padikkal, who struck two centuries batting at number three during the Sri Lanka series, keeps his place in the squad.

India full squad for New Zealand Tests 2026

Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (WK)* [subject to fitness clearance], Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.

Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as India women’s captain across all formats after captaining the team to a gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. Her decision came following a BCCI review meeting in Guwahati that included Smriti Mandhana, head coach Amol Muzumdar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia. Harmanpreet’s 10-year tenure as captain concluded with this transition, which saw Mandhana appointed as her successor.

Former India coach WV Raman reflected on Harmanpreet’s captaincy record and the circumstances surrounding her departure. Raman acknowledged the achievements Harmanpreet delivered during her time leading the national team, while drawing historical parallels to understand the timing of her exit.

“See, it’s very difficult to say what is the right time for somebody to take up captaincy. Let’s not forget that Harmanpreet Kaur has done well as a captain. She’s created history by winning the World Cup. And maybe, you know, people started debating about her continuing as captain after the ordinary campaign in the T20 World Cup,” WV Raman responded to CricTracker’s query during an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network.

Harmanpreet’s captaincy transition and Raman’s historical perspective

Raman drew a historical parallel between Harmanpreet’s situation and that of Kapil Dev, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain. He highlighted that captaincy transitions often occur in the aftermath of major tournament victories, noting that such changes are a natural part of cricket’s evolution. Raman emphasised that the timing of leadership changes depends on the circumstances surrounding each individual case.

“These things keep happening in cricket. Let’s not forget even Kapil Dev, when he created history in 1983 by winning the World Cup. He was stripped of his captaincy six months later. So, it’s all a question of how situations are,” he added.

Raman also assessed the state of the Indian women’s team that Harmanpreet handed over to her successor. He recognised the quality of the squad and its playing style under the outgoing captain’s leadership, noting that Mandhana would inherit a side built on aggressive foundations. Raman outlined the expectations for the new captain as she took charge of a team known for its aggressive approach.

“But here, we obviously have to realize that Harmanpreet Kaur has been around for a while, she’s done extraordinarily well as a captain. And, it was getting a little difficult, because there was some talk about, okay, will Smriti ever lead India, or should Harmanpreet continue? But, now that, we’ve seen the transition or the change happen. We had obviously hoped that the Indian team will go from strength to strength year on year because Harmanpreet has handed over a good side which is playing aggressively, which is playing confidently. And the biggest challenge for Smriti Mandana will be to try and not only sustain that aggression and fearlessness, but also raise the bar with each passing season,” Raman said.

Smriti Mandhana, who had served as Harmanpreet’s long-time deputy, would assume full captaincy responsibilities starting with the tour of Zimbabwe from October 16. Mandhana had already captained India in 18 T20Is and four ODIs before her appointment. The BCCI highlighted her leadership success in franchise cricket, particularly her role in guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Women’s Premier League titles in 2024 and 2026.