The New Zealand cricket team is scheduled to tour India in January 2026 to play the India vs New Zealand series. The tour will include three One Day International matches and five Twenty20 International matches. The T20I series will serve as preparation for both teams ahead of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. In June 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed the fixtures as part of India’s 2025–26 home international season.
India vs New Zealand ODI Series: Full Indian squad analysis
Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer are back in India’s ODI team for the India vs New Zealand home series starting January 11. Gill will be the captain. Iyer has been named vice-captain, but his place depends on final fitness clearance.
Gill missed the South Africa ODI series because of a neck spasm he suffered during the Kolkata Test. He has since returned to play in the T20I series against South Africa. Iyer is coming back from a spleen injury picked up during the Australia tour and has not played a match since October 2025.
Mohammed Siraj has also returned to the ODI squad. He last played an ODI in Australia in October 2025. Since then, he has played Tests for India and domestic matches for Hyderabad. Hardik Pandya has been rested as the BCCI is managing his workload. He is not yet cleared to bowl ten overs in a match.
Gill, Iyer, and Siraj replace Tilak Varma, Dhruv Jurel, and Ruturaj Gaikwad from the squad that beat South Africa 2–1. Tilak and Jurel did not play any match in that series. Gaikwad scored 105 in Raipur while batting at number four.
The main batters in the squad are Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the wicketkeepers. The all-rounders are Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The fast bowlers are Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh.
Gill and Iyer are expected to play one Vijay Hazare Trophy match each on January 6 before joining the India squad. Gill missed Punjab’s last match due to food poisoning but is expected to play against Goa. Iyer played a practice match on January 2 in Bengaluru without pain and is likely to play for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh on January 6.
India vs New Zealand ODI Series: Hits and Misses of the Indian squad
India has named their ODI squad for the three-match India vs New Zealand home series, with Shubman Gill returning as captain and Shreyas Iyer coming back as vice-captain. Both missed the South Africa series due to injuries and have now taken back their places.
Gill and Iyer’s return means Ruturaj Gaikwad has missed out, even though he scored a century at number four against South Africa. Dhruv Jurel has also been dropped because the selectors have continued with Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is back in the ODI team, replacing Tilak Varma.
Hardik Pandya has been left out despite scoring a quick hundred in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The BCCI said this is because his workload is being managed and he has not been cleared to bowl ten overs in a match. With the T20 World Cup coming up, the team does not want to rush him. Shreyas Iyer’s selection is also dependent on his fitness, and he is expected to play Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Mumbai.
There was discussion around players like Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, and Ishan Kishan, but the selectors decided not to make big changes. They chose to stick with Pant, even though he has not had much game time recently. Pant is seen as a direct backup to KL Rahul and also adds a left-handed option in a team full of right-hand batters.
The selectors felt there was no need for major changes because India does not have another ODI series until July, when they tour England. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been kept in the squad as part of future plans, especially since Hardik Pandya is not fully fit to bowl.
Axar Patel is another player who misses out. Even though he was expected to return after illness, Ravindra Jadeja has been preferred, with Washington Sundar as the second spin all-rounder. The selectors have made it clear that usually only one of Jadeja or Axar will play.
Siraj’s return strengthens the pace attack, especially with Jasprit Bumrah not part of the squad. In the South Africa series, some of the younger fast bowlers struggled, and Siraj adds experience. His inclusion also means Mohammed Shami remains out, despite doing well in domestic cricket.
India vs New Zealand Series: A Look at the Indian Squad
India’s ODI squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer* (vc), Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
FAQs
Q. When is the India vs New Zealand series scheduled?
A. New Zealand will tour India in January 2026.
Q. Who is leading India in the ODI series against New Zealand?
A. Shubman Gill is the captain, and Shreyas Iyer is the vice-captain.
Q. Why did Shubman Gill miss the South Africa ODI series?
A. Shubman Gill missed it due to a neck spasm suffered during the Kolkata Test.
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