Breakdown of India’s ODI squad vs NZ: Iyer back as deputy, Gaikwad dropped, Pant back, No Hardik, and Shami overlooked again

The BCCI’s Senior Men’s Selection Committee has officially pulled the curtain back on India’s plans for the 2026 home season, announcing a high-octane 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

Scheduled to begin on January 11 at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, the series serves as a crucial litmus test for India’s white-ball depth. The headline of the announcement is the formalization of leadership roles: Shubman Gill continues his ascent as the ODI captain, while Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain, though his participation remains shrouded in a bit of medical suspense.

The leadership core: Gill at the helm, Iyer as deputy

Shubman Gill, often hailed as the "Prince" of Indian cricket, will lead a star-studded side that sees the return of modern-day greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Their inclusion signals India’s intent to maintain a "win-now" mentality while grooming Gill for long-term leadership.

However, the Vice-Captaincy comes with an asterisk. Shreyas Iyer, who has been recovering from a spleen injury sustained during the tour of Australia last October, is back in the mix but is "subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE)." Iyer is expected to feature in a domestic Vijay Hazare Trophy match on January 6 as his final "Return to Play" checkpoint before joining the national camp.

India’s 15-Man Squad:

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.

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The Hardik Pandya conundrum: Workload management 2.0

In a move that will surely spark debate across social media, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is a notable absentee from the 50-over squad. The BCCI Media Advisory was transparent regarding his omission, stating that the COE has not cleared him to bowl a full 10-over quota in a single match.

With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup looming in February, the medical team is taking no risks. Pandya's workload is being strictly managed to ensure he is at peak fitness for the shortest format.

In his absence, the exciting Nitish Kumar Reddy retains his spot, offering the selectors a glimpse into the future of India's pace-bowling all-rounder stocks.

Fast-bowling firepower and spin deception

The bowling department sees a mix of raw pace and tactical guile. Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna provide the "hit-the-deck" options, while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj lead the traditional swing attack.

Notably, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for this series to keep him fresh for the T20 World Cup, opening a massive door for the younger pacers to stake their claim.

In the spin department, the "Kul-Jadeja" pair is back. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja will lead the slow-bowling assault, supported by Washington Sundar.

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India vs NZ, ODI series schedule

The Black Caps will face a grueling schedule across three spin-friendly venues in Western and Central India: