BREAKING! Siraj, Pant IN, Star All-Rounder Misses Out for India’s ODI Squad for NZ

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed India’s 15-player squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. The three-match contest, India’s first international series of 2026, is scheduled to begin on January 11. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has been included in the squad, although his participation depends on receiving final fitness approval from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. The selection panel has made notable changes from the group that toured South Africa.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhruv Jurel and Tilak Varma have all missed out, while Mohammed Siraj has been recalled to the ODI side after last featuring in the format during the series against Australia. The fast bowler has remained a consistent part of the Test setup and has stayed in action by representing Hyderabad in domestic tournaments, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Rishabh Pant Makes a Comeback, Pandya Misses Out

Despite not featuring in any matches in South Africa, Rishabh Pant has retained his place in the squad and is expected to serve as the reserve wicketkeeper. One of the best openers in the world, Yashasvi Jaiswal, meanwhile, continues as the standby opening option.

The BCCI also explained the absence of Hardik Pandya, clarifying that the all-rounder is currently not cleared to bowl a full quota of 10 overs. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup approaching in just a month, the board stated that his workload is being carefully regulated to avoid long-term risk.

Shubman Gill was sidelined for the ODI series against South Africa after having a neck spasm during the Kolkata Test. While he has since made his comeback in the T20I series versus South Africa, Shreyas Iyer is set to return from a spleen injury he suffered on the tour of Australia and has not featured in any competitive match since October 2025.

Gill and Iyer are both set to feature in one Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture on January 6 before joining the Indian squad. Iyer has taken a key step in his comeback as part of his return-to-play process. He participated in a practice match at the BCCI’s Centre for Excellence in Bengaluru on January 2, where he batted without any pain and successfully completed all his pre- and post-match drills. Subject to final clearances, Iyer is also likely to represent Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh in Jaipur on January 6.

India Squad for NZ ODI Series

Besides Gill and Iyer, the batting unit features one of the best ODI batsmen in the world, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, along with the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal. KL Rahul, who led the side in the South Africa ODIs, and Rishabh Pant have been picked as the wicketkeeper-batters.

The all-round options include Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy, while Kuldeep Yadav is the only specialist wrist-spinner in the squad. The pace department is made up of Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj. Let's have a look at the full India Squad for New Zealand ODI series.

India ODI Squad for New Zealand Series 2026

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.