India ODI squad announcement HIGHLIGHTS: Gill returns as captain; Iyer's return subject to fitness

Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul picked up as wicket-keeper batter, with no place for Shami. Shreyas Iyer has been named Gill's deputy.

5:40 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Series schedule

India will play three matches against New Zealand. The first ODI will take place in Vadodra on January 11, second ODI will be played in Rajkot on January 14, and finally the series will end with third ODI in Indore on January 18.

5:37 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Shami overlooked; Ruturaj axed

Mohammed Shami, who has been performing brilliantly for Bengal in the domestic circuit in recent times, has been overlooked once again, while Ruturaj Gaikwad, despite his great outing in the South Africa series, has once again been shown the exit door ahead of the ODI series.

5:34 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Kuldeep lone regular spinner

Kuldeep Yadav will be India’s lone regular spinner in the squad. However, with either Jadeja or Sundar, or both, almost confirmed to be part of India’s playing XI, he will have support to share the burden of spin bowling in the series.

5:23 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Iyer subject to fitness

While Shreyas Iyer have made his comeback in the squad his inclusion is subject to fitness. It was earlier reported that Iyer will play Vijay Hazare Trophy match on Jan 6 against Himachal Pradesh and if all goes well he will retain his spot in the squad otherwise. BCCI is likely to sit him out and name a replacement.

5:10 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Nitish Reddy retains his place!

Nitish Kumar Reddy retains his place in the squad as a direct backup for Hardik Pandya, though it will be intriguing to see how his role unfolds, considering the depth in the seam bowling department this time. He has been actively bowling for Andhra, having bowled 10 overs today, taking two wickets but conceding 65 runs. Additionally, he has been opening the bowling for the team he captains.

5:00 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Hardik not included in squad!

Hardik Pandya has not yet received clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence to bowl a full 10-over spell in an ODI.

With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, the selectors and team management have opted to carefully manage his workload to prevent any risk of injury. Pandya has been recovering from fitness issues, and the priority is to ensure he is fully fit for major tournaments.

As a result, he has been excluded from the ODI plans for now, with the focus on maintaining his long-term availability and peak performance in T20 cricket, rather than overloading him in bilateral series.

4:53 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Here's the squad for the Men In Blue!

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

4:48 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Squad announced

While BCCI secey Sakia said earlier today that the squad announcement will take place in the afternoon, the squad has been announced now at 5 PM IST.

4:40 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Ruturaj's strong case

If Iyer is given rest the most likely name to keep his spot in the team will be Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored his maiden ODI ton in series vs SA and is playing wonderfully in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. 

4:30 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Jurel in focus!

Dhruv Jurel has emerged as a strong candidate amid the uncertainty surrounding India’s wicketkeeping options.

 

The Uttar Pradesh batter's impressive Vijay Hazare Trophy stats - 307 runs in just three matches at an average of 153.5—cannot be overlooked. His unbeaten 160 against Baroda demonstrated composure, power, and maturity well beyond his years. With selectors prioritizing form, Jurel’s name is firmly in the mix.

 

Selecting him would send a clear message that domestic performances will be rewarded. The New Zealand ODIs could provide an ideal, low-pressure setting to introduce a young wicketkeeper-batter and assess his readiness for international cricket.

4:17 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: A three-way race for the back-up keeper spot!

The backup wicketkeeper spot to KL Rahul is up for grabs, with a three-way competition to determine who will take on the role. Jurel is in great form, Kishan has been included in the T20I squad and has played the finishing role, while Pant remains the incumbent with the highest potential. Who is most likely to secure the position?

4:05 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Samson starring in VHT too!

It was a strong outing for some of the T20I players. While Sanju Samson may not be a top-order wicketkeeping option for ODIs, his century is a positive sign for his form ahead of the T20Is. He was dismissed for 101 off 95 balls, but his knock helped set Kerala on course to chase down 312 against Jharkhand.

3:51 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Lesser ODIs for India to play?

The white-ball series in Bangladesh has been temporarily postponed due to the ongoing political unrest and violence. This follows the significant decision to bar Mustafizur Rahman, the only Bangladeshi player in the IPL, from participating in the tournament, further complicating matters.

3:41 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Virat Kohli looking fresher than ever!

Virat Kohli demonstrated in 2025 that his ODI career is far from finished, even after his retirement from Test cricket. The Indian legend concluded the year as India’s highest run-scorer, amassing 651 runs, narrowly edging out Rohit Sharma by a single run. Kohli also surged to second place in the ICC ODI rankings, surpassing a long-held record by Viv Richards, and finished the year in the top two of the rankings for the 10th time.

3:30 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Arshdeep Singh bags a 5-fer!

Arshdeep Singh is expected to be rested for the ODIs, but he keeps himself in the mix with a sharp 5-wicket haul, helping Punjab dismiss Sikkim for just 75 runs.

3:17 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Agarkar-RP Singh present at VHT match!

Two national selectors, including chief selector Ajit Agarkar, are present for the Mumbai-Maharashtra match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Gaikwad and Jaiswal, the key players under consideration, are involved in the game, with one of them having certainly outperformed the other today.

3:06 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Shreyas Iyer fitness update!

Shreyas Iyer is inching closer to his international comeback after successfully completing his first 50-over return-to-play (RTP) match simulation on Friday, according to reports.

 

To meet the BCCI's medical clearance requirements, Iyer must now play in Mumbai's upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh, which will be his second essential simulation. The national selectors will only deem him fully fit for white-ball cricket once he successfully completes both simulations without any physical issues. The prospects of his international return look very promising.

2:58 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Deep Dasgupta on Rishabh Pant!

Former wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta on Pant - “My only fear is a repeat of 2019, when you didn’t prepare backups in the middle order. Pant can still serve for another seven to eight years. If they feel they can maximise his potential, they must start working with him. He has been part of the system since 2018. If not, they must identify a definite second wicketkeeper, and not keep changing without giving the player a full run, because there aren’t many ODIs before the World Cup,” former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta stated.

 

“I won’t judge him by the runs. He hasn’t played the 50-over format for nearly three-and-a-half years. Before his accident, he had started finding his feet in ODIs. It’s about how much you want to back him,” he further added.

2:46 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: India's finest bowlers in ODIs last year!

Kuldeep Yadav: 24 wickets (11 innings)

 

Mohammed Shami: 22 wickets (9 innings)

 

Jasprit Bumrah: 20 wickets (10 innings)

 

Mohammed Siraj: 18 wickets (12 innings)

 

Hardik Pandya: 15 wickets (11 innings)

2:36 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Mark your calendars!

India vs New Zealand ODI Series Schedule

 

1st ODI: January 11 – Vadodara

 

2nd ODI: January 14 – Rajkot

 

3rd ODI: January 18 – Indore

2:26 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Pandya comes out roaring again!

Hardik Pandya, who is expected to be rested for the upcoming series, has just delivered a thrilling performance that Indian fans would've admired. He appears to be regaining his signature power-stroke, smashing 133 off 92 balls for Baroda down the order in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. While he may not feature in these ODIs, his explosive knock, including 11 sixes, is fantastic news for India's T20I squad.

 

 

2:15 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Kiwis bringing in fresh faces!

New Zealand squad for India tour: Michael Bracewell (c), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay (wk), Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young

2:00 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Gaikwad impressing again!

Gaikwad continues to make his mark, scoring a brisk 66 while batting at number 3 for Maharashtra, further strengthening his case as a dynamic middle-order option. Prithvi Shaw also shines with another half-century, adding to what has been a solid season for him so far. Meanwhile, Arshin Kulkarni impresses with a century in the match against Mumbai.

 

Mumbai faces a big chase, and all eyes will be on Yashasvi Jaiswal as he takes the field for them soon.

1:51 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Tough call for BCCI to take!

The situation poses an intriguing dilemma for the BCCI selectors. While they will likely want to acknowledge Padikkal's impressive performance in the one-day tournament, especially with the emphasis placed on domestic cricket, it could mean sacrificing either Gaikwad, who is still in good form, or Jaiswal, who is strongly backed as Rohit Sharma’s long-term opening replacement. This is contingent on Shreyas Iyer’s return, but it remains a tricky decision. Moreover, securing a place in the playing XI presents an entirely new challenge.

1:36 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: India's win-loss record in ODIs in 2025

The Indian cricket team played a total of 14 ODI matches in 2025, out of which they won 11 matches. They lost two games against Australia in their 1-2 series loss in the Down Under series, while they lost one match to South Africa in their 2-1 win in the final ODI assignment of the year. India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by winning all five of their matches, including the final vs New Zealand.

1:27 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Announcement timing

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia have confirmed that India’s white-ball squads for the upcoming series against New Zealand will be announced this afternoon. India will begin a three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11, and selectors are meeting today to finalise the teams. Saikia told media that the squad announcement is scheduled for later in the day. This comes ahead of the important limited-overs tour, with anticipation building over selections.

1:16 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Iyer ready to return?

India's ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has moved closer to an international return after completing his first 50-over return-to-play match simulation on Friday. The simulation was part of BCCI’s medical clearance process. He must now feature in Mumbai’s upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy game against Himachal Pradesh, which will act as his second mandatory 50-over simulation. The selectors will assess his fitness only after he completes both matches without physical issues. Early indicators suggest his comeback path is on track.

12:57 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: All-rounders in question!

With Hardik Pandya likely absent, there is an opening in India's ODI allrounder position. Shivam Dube, recognized for his power-hitting in T20Is, could make a return to the ODI squad as selectors look to strengthen the batting depth. Another option is Nitish Kumar Reddy, who brings balance and long-term potential to the team.

 

This situation raises a larger question: should India focus on players with proven impact or invest in nurturing versatile, multi-dimensional talents? The upcoming New Zealand series provides an ideal opportunity to test these options, allowing India to fine-tune their allrounder strategy ahead of major global tournaments.

12:43 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: India’s Fast-Bowling Strategy Ahead of T20 World Cup!

As the T20 World Cup approaches, India is expected to manage the workload of key fast bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are likely to be rested, opening opportunities for other seamers to step up. Mohammed Shami’s potential return is particularly noteworthy due to his extensive experience and past success in ODIs.

 

Mohammed Siraj, who missed the South Africa series, could get another chance. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana have shown promise, while Prasidh Krishna’s economy rate continues to raise concerns. The upcoming New Zealand series could play a key role in finalizing India’s pace-bowling lineup.

12:31 PM

India ODI squad announcement LIVE UPDATES: Will domestic performers be rewarded?

India's domestic circuit remains a vital source of talent, and this selection cycle showcases its strength. Devdutt Padikkal’s performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has been exceptional, scoring 406 runs in four matches at an average of 101.50.

With a solid List A record, Padikkal makes a strong case for being a backup opener or middle-order option. His consistent form stands in contrast to the temporary solutions India has recently relied on. Acknowledging such form would not only strengthen faith in the domestic system but also maintain fierce competition for batting positions.