 "India's ODI squad for New Zealand series to be picked on Jan 3; Hardik, Bumrah likely to miss out: Report")
India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand will reportedly be selected on January 3. The Indian team is set to assemble in Vadodara on January 7, with the ODI series against the Kiwis beginning three days later.
As per the schedule, the first ODI will be played in Vadodara on January 11, followed by the second match in Rajkot on January 14 and the third and final ODI in Indore on January 18. The squad will be picked in an online meeting of the national selection committee.
According to the Times of India, the chief selector Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will hold a meeting on January 3 to select the squad. “The national selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, will hold an online meeting on Jan 3 to pick the squad,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying.
India have already announced their squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on January 21, while the visitors have named squads for both formats.
Shubman Gill, who missed out on the ODI series against South Africa due to an injury, is expected to return to lead the Indian team. Gill was recently left out of India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, but he remains an important part of the ODI setup.
Shreyas, Hardik, and Bumrah to miss out?
However, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is unlikely to be available due to fitness concerns. He reportedly failed strength tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and will have to extend his stay there to fully recover from the injury he sustained in the third ODI against Australia in October.
Meanwhile, senior players Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be rested for the New Zealand ODIs. According to the report, both players have already missed the last two ODI series, and with the T20 World Cup approaching, the team management wants to manage their workload carefully.
Quick Reads
View AllThey are expected to return for the five-match T20I series against the same side, which will work as crucial preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
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