IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer IN, Mohammed Shami OUT, India’s ODI squad revealed against Kiwis

The BCCI has officially dropped the news we’ve all been waiting for: the Indian squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand is out. With the T20 World Cup just around the corner, the selectors are clearly playing a high-stakes game of “mix and match,” balancing veteran star power with some fresh, exciting faces.

Here’s the lowdown on what the team looks like and the big stories behind the names.

Gill Takes the Reins, Seniors Return

The big headline? Shubman Gill has been named Captain for the series. It’s a huge vote of confidence in the youngster as India looks toward the future. But he won’t be alone out there; the “big guns” Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are both back in the mix, bringing that much-needed experience to the top order.

Shreyas Iyer has been named Vice-Captain, though there’s a small catch, his participation depends on a final fitness green-light from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

The Hardik Pandya Situation

The most talked-about omission is Hardik Pandya. Before anyone panics, it’s not about form (especially after his 133-run masterclass today!). The BCCI has clarified that the medical team hasn’t cleared him to bowl a full 10-over quota yet. With the T20 World Cup starting in February, they’re wrapping him in cotton wool to make sure he’s 100% for the shortest format.

Key Takeaways for Fans

After plenty of speculation about his white-ball future, Rishabh Pant has kept his spot in the ODI squad, likely as the primary backup to KL Rahul. Players like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana getting the nod shows that the selectors are rewarding domestic performance and looking for “Impact Players.” By resting Hardik from ODIs, the BCCI is sending a clear signal that the T20 World Cup is the top priority for 2026.

India ODI Squad against New Zealand

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.