The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11. Shubman Gill will lead the side, while Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain, subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE).
India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya does not feature in the squad. According to a BCCI media advisory, the COE has not cleared him to bowl a full 10-over spell. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled next month, the team management has decided to manage his workload carefully.
Middle-order batter Ruturaj Gaikwad also misses out despite strong performances last year. He had filled the No. 4 spot during Iyer’s absence in the ODI series against South Africa and scored his maiden ODI century. However, the selectors opted for other combinations.
Senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to the ODI setup. Both players remain in strong form and will look to anchor the batting lineup. Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has earned a spot as well, adding firepower at the top.
India has picked two wicketkeepers — KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant — to strengthen the middle order. The spin department includes Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav. Meanwhile, the pace attack features Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has also been included, offering additional balance to the squad.
