India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs: Shreyas Iyer returns as vice-captain; Pandya, Bumrah rested for T20 WC

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: BCCI have announced the squad for the series – much to break down!

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Contributions all across in both fields by Mohammed Shami in his bid to be considered for the ODI squad. FInished things off for Bengal by hammering 3 fours and a six and now takes two wickets too.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Good day out for some of the T20I players. Sanju Samson might not be in the picture for ODI cricket as a top order wicketkeeping option, but his century is good news for his form heading into the T20Is. Dismissed on 101(95), but sets Kerala on their way to chasing 312 vs Jharkhand.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: As a backup wicketkeeper option, there is a three-way battle to decide who occupies to slot as KL Rahul's deputy. Jurel is the form player, Kishan has been called up the T20Is and played that finishing role, but Pant is the high-ceiling incumbent. Who has the best odds of making it?

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Arshdeep Singh also likely to be rested for the ODIs, you feel, but ensures that he keeps himself in the conversation with a clinical 5-fer as Punjab bowled out Sikkim for just 75.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Two national selectors including chief selector Ajit Agarkar are in attendance for the Mumbai-Maharashtra match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Gaikwad and Jaiswal the key figures up for debate involved in that game – and one has certainly had the better of it today.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: The white-ball series in Bangladesh has been put on hold for the time being given the political tumult and violence at the moment. Already a big call being made with Mustafizur Rahman, the only Tigers player in the IPL, being barred from the tournament – and this only adding on to that.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: The importance of the bilateral ODI series has already been on the wane, with most being competed in 3 matches, and not very often. Tournament cricket and T20I series is where it is at now. Is the solution to stock up on tri- and quadri-lateral series instead? Here is what a former Indian international thinks.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Not the innings Yashasvi Jaiswal wanted from this outing leading up to the series. Disappointing from him – out for just 3 chasing 367 against Maharashtra. On a day where Padikkal has shined, not the result he wanted.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: While he is likely to be rested for their series, Hardik Pandya provides the sort of knock that Indian fans love to see from him. Seems to be finding that reliable power-stroke again. Blasts 133 off 92 deliveries down the order for Baroda – not likely to play these ODIs, but excellent news for India's T20I outfit. 11 sixes in his knock.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: A handful of players who have plenty of experience – captain Bracewell, Conway, Mitchell, Nicholls, and Phillips will be the core. Foulkes and Jamieson could be the seam backbone, but otherwise, a lot of players getting a fresh taste of the subcontinent. Plenrty of talent in store though, and the Kiwis are always competitive.

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

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: In the pace bowling department, Arshdeep and Bumrah might be rest, Nitish Kumar Reddy might be dropped for one of the extra batters, but Prasidh and Rana should be fairly safe. This pair of bowlers are currently the frontunners in terms of players duking it out for that third seamer role when it comes to next year's South African World Cup.

But the introduction of Mohammed Shami and a potential call back up for Mohammed Siraj could really put the cat amongst the pigeons. If both are to be included, one of Harshit and Prasidh will likely need to be dropped. What's the call there?

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Nearly 20 years into their careers as part of the white-ball teams, and they remain such integral parts of this ODI unit. Even in a game that evolves as constantly as cricket, the innate understanding of batting in a 50 over format that Kohli and Rohit possess makes them worth their weight in gold to the Indian team. They are both in terrific runs of form at the minute, and heading into 2026, will have intentions of continuing that. Kohli in particular hunting down the centuries, and looking a lot more like his old self. Imperious, in a word.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: It does present an interesting quandary for the BCCI selectors. They will want to reward Padikkal's run in the one-day tournament after the focus they have placed on the domestic games, but it means they might have to sacrifice either Gaikwad – still in form – or Jaiswal, who they heavily back as the long-term opening successor to Rohit Sharma. All this only if Shreyas Iyer indeed returns, but it is certainly a conundrum. After that, cracking the playing XI itself is a new problem altogether.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Gaikwad ensuring he does his part too. Batting at number 3, scores a quickfire 66 to make his case as an attacking middle order option as well. Prithvi Shaw with another half-century – decent season for him thus far – and Arshin Kulkarni impressing in that match against Mumbai with a century.

Big chase on for Mumbai; Yashasvi Jaiswal will be in action for them soon. Eye on that as well.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Just can't stop scoring runs at the minute! A fourth Vijay Hazare Trophy century in just five matches this season, and he's battering the door down. How can the BCCI refuse him? You have to feel that space will be opened up for him now.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: With Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy key members of the T20I team, they might be rested for the ODI series. India do like employing spinners en masse when at home, but all their options outside of those two recently have been spin-bowling all-rounders. The lack of a really penetrative attacking wrist-spinner in the ranks has been a point of bother in recent months, and it might crop up here again – it's a defensive, all-round group, and certainly good enough but still a red flag that India must work on. Anyone else from the VHT that the selectors could be considering as a try-out?

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Reddy and Rana are two players who have been shown plenty of faith by Gambhir across formats, and their unique skillsets explain why. No, they aren't the finished products – but they certainly deserve the time to be polished and forged into two players who, with the right treatment, could prove to be absolutely significant for India in years to come. With Pandya expected not to feature, responsibility on their shoulders in this series.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: In case Shreyas Iyer remains unfit, the big discussion will be whether the number four spot will be retained temporarily by Ruturaj Gaikwad – now batting in that slot in VHT games as well – or whether Yashasvi Jaiswal will be allowed to keep opening, allowing Gill to move down to number 4. This was a plan for India leading up to the Champions Trophy before Iyer broke the door down with some excellent batting, and might see a return if the mood is one of testing out combinations. There is also an argument to let Gill stick to playing as the opener, a role he has had sucess in in this format.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Secretary Saikia mentions that he too will be involved in the selection meeting set to take place this afternoon, with the meet to take place in the afternoon. A couple of hours away from that moment, then.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: One player whose position in the squad as a whole could be under threat is Rishabh Pant, who has travelled as backup wicketkeeper for KL Rahul but might now be edged out by Jurel. Pant has had a relatively quiet VHT, only one half-century in 4 matches as he captains Delhi. Jurel, meanwhile, has scored a century and two half-centuries at a phenomenal strike-rate of 137 – something that will appeal as an alternative to Rahul at number 5 or 6 in the team. Whispers have certainly been floating.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Devdutt Padikkal has been the player of the tournament so far in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, striking three centuries in four matches for Karnataka and lookin gin tremendous form. He has been batting in the top order for the team, which is a tough group to break into in this Indian ODI outfit – but the push to wait to name this squad might indicate that the selectors wanted to take the early rounds of the VHT into account. Can he carve a place for himself, not dissimilarly to how Ishan Kishan did for the T20Is with his SMAT performances?

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: The three ODI matches of the series will be played in the following venues:

Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, to kick off international action in 2026 for India with the 1st ODI on January 11.

Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot, for the second ODI on January 14.

Finally, Holkar Stadium in Indore, hosting the third and final ODI on January 18.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: New Zealand's squad for this series is also one full of players who will be looking to gain experience, with most of the big names and regular players chosen for the T20I series and asked to focus on that. This is more or less a second-string squad from the Kiwis, and their announcement gives the BCCI some license to try and name fresh players to their own squad – a good entry point for a lot of names who might not otherwise get too many opportunities at home. Interesting to see what direction they take.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Gill will likely mark his return after missing the South Africa ODIs, but there might be some key players who could remain out of the squad. Hardik Pandya was recovering from his own injury and might be saved for the World Cup, while Bumrah has also become a horses-for-courses type player who India try not to overuse. It wouldn't be a shock at all if these two are rested from this series, with Kuldeep Yadav another candidate for a player who might be asked to gear up for the T20Is instead of the ODIs.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Shubman Gill was in line to lead Punjab for a pair of Vijay Hazare Trophy games this week in the lead up to the series, but Sportstar reports that he will miss out due to a bout of food poisoning. Should be back in time for Sunday's first ODI, but is also expected to be present for the selection committee's meeting today.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Another player who is in line to return for India in the format is veteran seamer Mohammed Shami. He has been out of action for India since the Champions Trophy, battling injury and having to put in the hard reps in domestic cricket. He has been in solid form for Bengal with the white ball, and with rest expected for some key players in this series, could be in line to make a return to the national team – all this, despite some barbs traded back and forth with Ajit Agarkar's selection panel through the second half of last year.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: One big focus from the squad announcement this afternoon will be whether or not Shreyas Iyer is included in the team. Iyer injured his spleen while fielding in Australia in the series in October, and has been out for the last portion of 2025: his rehab and recovery is still said to be slightly touch-and-go with regards to a return to play against New Zealand, but the Mumbai player will be hoping that he can come right back in to make his case as the set-and-forget number 4 for the team.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: Kohli and Rohit's national team appearances will begin to ramp up gradually after a fairly sparse summer through 2025. This will be their third ODI series since October, before another short break, but the games will begin to ramp up after that period. They enter after a couple of games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy each.

India squad announcement for New Zealand ODIs LIVE Updates: India are set to announce the ODI squad for the 3-match set against New Zealand for the ODIs beginning on January 11th. T20I squad has been announced, so with that in mind, plenty to consider for Agarkar and company. Lots to talk about. Stay tuned in!