'Selection committee keeps surprising': Gaikwad's absence from India's squad for New Zealand ODIs raises eyebrows

Team India unveiled its squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand on Saturday, and while some decisions were routine, some others did raise an eyebrow. Captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, for starters, were scheduled to return in the Men in Blue’s first assignment of 2026, having missed the three-match series against South Africa due to injury.

Jasprit Bumrah was also expected to be rested for the series due to his workload management keeping next month’s T20 World Cup in mind. While senior all-rounder Hardik Pandya was in red-hot form during the T20I series against South Africa, he is yet to be cleared to bowl 10 overs in ODIs, and thus has been left out.

Some other decisions, however, did create some buzz on social media, including Ruturaj Gaikwad getting dropped after scoring a century against the Proteas in Raipur. Or senior pacer Mohammed Shami still getting ignored by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee despite a consistent wicket taker in the domestic circuit and proving his fitness in the question.

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Or even Axar Patel being left out of the spin/all-rounder department despite smashing his maiden List A century in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Here are some of the reactions to India's squad for the New Zealand one-dayers:

This selection committee keeps surprising! There was so much talk about so many changes.
Unfortunate that Ruturaj misses out after a ton. Same can be said about Tilak & Jurel.
But then Gill & Iyer are back so it was always tight.
Siraj coming back shows he is being seen for 2027…

— Vimal कुमार (@Vimalwa) January 3, 2026

Unfortunate for Ruturaj Gaikwad to miss out. Ishan Kishan will have to wait for an opportunity as India will play another 15 odd ODIs before the World Cup in 2027

— Debasis Sen (@debasissen) January 3, 2026

Not a fan of Ruturaj Gaikwad but what’s happening with him right now is pure hatred and politics.

Gautam Gambhir isn’t even trying to stay neutral anymore. https://t.co/ZuBx7NV0bE pic.twitter.com/PQhWc9gH8M

— 𝐉𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 (@jod_insane) January 3, 2026

Ruturaj Gaikwad, time to move to the USA son. 💔

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) January 3, 2026

Nitish Kumar Reddy can’t bat.
Washington Sundar can’t bowl.

But they got selected, and Axar Patel, who can bat and bowl better than both, got dropped.

What a clown BCCI has become. 🤡 pic.twitter.com/dt2hSOPba0

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) January 3, 2026

No reason why Axar has been dropped from the ODI squad since the last SA series. Did really well both with the bat & ball in Australia ODIs... Today he has smashed 130 in VHT & bowling well too. All the chest beating about backing, valuing domestic performances only in PC. https://t.co/VqU5Cvsuaw

— arfan (@Im__Arfan) January 3, 2026