Ahead of the New Zealand ODI series, the air was thick with speculation. Fans and pundits expected bold calls—talk of Ishan Kishan replacing Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Shami’s re-entry, and Devdutt Padikkal’s dream debut dominated discussions. With the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy throwing up standout performances, many believed fresh faces would break into the one-day side.
But when the squad was finally announced, the selectors chose continuity over surprise—no experiments, no shocks.
Leadership Returns, Familiar Core Intact
After missing the South Africa ODIs due to injury, Shubman Gill returns as captain. Following a long injury layoff, Shreyas Iyer is back as vice-captain, though his participation depends on medical clearance. Mohammed Siraj also returns after the Australia tour.
These comebacks meant exclusions for Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhruv Jurel, and Tilak Varma. Gaikwad’s omission, in particular, feels harsh—he scored a century in his most recent ODI. Yet this isn’t new in Indian cricket; even after a century against South Africa, Sanju Samson hasn’t featured again in the ODI setup.
Batting & Wicketkeeping Choices
India stick with specialist batters Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, alongside Gill and Iyer.
For wicketkeeping, KL Rahul remains the first choice, with Rishabh Pant likely to sit out. The selectors clearly see Pant as middle-order cover, while Rahul anchors that role.
All-Rounders & Pace Depth
The all-round department features Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Nitish Kumar Reddy—though Reddy’s exact role remains unclear.
In pace bowling, Jasprit Bumrah is being carefully managed, supported by Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, and Harshdeep Singh.
The Hardik & Shami Questions
The biggest miss is Hardik Pandya. Despite smashing 133 off 93 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy—complete with an over of five sixes—he’s being rested to manage workload ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The New Zealand squad announcement also dims hopes for Mohammed Shami. Post-Champions Trophy, Shami is still outside the setup due to fitness concerns, despite responding strongly on and off the field. India’s next major series is against England in July; missing that could effectively close the door on his comeback as BCCI prioritizes youth.
Youth Performers Left Waiting
Several Vijay Hazare stars miss out despite stellar form. Devdutt Padikkal scored four centuries in his last five innings for Karnataka. Ishan Kishan stunned with 125 off 39 balls for Jharkhand, while Sarfaraz Khan blasted 157 off 75 balls against Goa. Performance alone, however, isn’t enough when there’s no obvious spot to vacate—Pant remains backed, and bringing Kishan in would disrupt the top order, impacting Jaiswal.
New Zealand Series Context
The first ODI is on January 11 in Vadodara. On paper, India hold a clear edge. With the T20 World Cup approaching, New Zealand have sent a second-string side led by Michael Bracewell. Kane Williamson is unavailable due to league commitments, and several regulars are missing—making this a prime opportunity for India to continue with a winning formula.
The Bigger Picture
One takeaway from the selection: India’s white-ball depth is enormous. Players omitted from ODIs find space in T20Is and vice versa—a deliberate balancing act by the selectors, with only a few exceptions like Harshit Rana.
For now, India choose stability. Youth will get their turn—but not at the cost of a settled, winning combination.
