BCCI on Saturday announced the team for the ODI series against New Zealand starting from January 11. Rituraj Gaikwad, who scored a century in the last match, was not selected in the team. Captain Shubman Gill returned and Shreyas Iyer was selected as the vice-captain. The board said that Iyer will be able to play only after fitness clearance by BCCI’s Center of Excellence. Former Indian cricketer Subramaniam is unhappy with the selection of Nitish Kumar Reddy in the team instead of Badrinath Gaikwad.

Former cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath raised questions on the selection of the ODI team against New Zealand. Especially after Rituraj Gaikwad was out and Nitish Kumar Reddy was elected. Giving his opinion in a YouTube video, he said that he could not understand the reason for Nitish’s election. Especially when there are already many experienced all-rounders in the team. According to him, whenever Gaikwad got a chance, he performed well and it is unfortunate to drop him from the team.

What did Badrinath say?

He said, “There are 2 all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, along with them Nitish Kumar Reddy is also in the team. I don’t know why he is in the team. Why is he not in the team and why is Nitish Kumar Reddy in the team? There is definitely something wrong. The rest of the team selections were as expected and very good. The only concern is the selection of Nitish Kumar Reddy in place of Rituraj Gaikwad.”

Rituraj Gaikwad had played a brilliant inning of 105 runs in the second match of the last ODI series, which was his last ODI innings. Their batsman did not come in the third match. He also scored a century (124) against Uttarakhand in Vijay Hazare Trophy.

It is believed that Nitish Kumar Reddy has been selected in the absence of Hardik Pandya. BCCI had said in its statement, “Hardik Pandya has not been given permission by the BCCI COE to bowl 10 overs in a match, and his workload is being managed in view of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”

India’s ODI squad

Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Kerala’s wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson played a brilliant century against Jharkhand. This was Sanju’s first match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 edition, in which he completed his century in 90 balls. With this innings, Sanju has presented a strong claim for the ODI series against New Zealand. Let us tell you that till the time of writing the news, BCCI has not announced the team for the ODI series.

India vs New Zealand, 3 match ODI series will start from January 11. BCCI is going to announce the team soon, the names of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are coming out as 2 wicketkeepers. However, in the ongoing edition of Vijay Hazare Trophy, Sanju Samson has also staked his claim by scoring a century in his very first match.

Kumar Kushagra played explosive innings

In this match of the fifth round played in Ahmedabad, Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan had decided to bat first. Kumar Kushagra scored the most runs for Jharkhand, he played an unbeaten inning of 143 runs. In this century innings played in 137 balls, Kushagra hit 7 sixes and 8 fours. Anukul Roy scored 72 runs. Batting first, Jharkhand had set a target of 312 runs for Kerala.

Sanju Samson made a partnership of 212 runs with the captain.

While chasing the target, Sanju Samson and Rohan Kunnummal gave a great start to Kerala, both of them made a partnership of 212 runs for the first wicket. Rohan scored 124 runs in 78 balls, in this innings he hit 11 sixes and 8 fours.

Sanju Samson completed his century in 90 balls, he scored 101 runs in 95 balls with the help of 3 sixes and 9 fours.

sanju samson career

Wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson has played 16 ODI matches for India, in which he scored 510 runs at a strike rate of 99.60. He has scored 1 century and 3 half-centuries in ODIs. Sanju played his last international ODI match in December 2023.

Apart from this, Sanju Samson scored 1032 runs in 52 T20 matches, in this shorter format he scored 3 centuries and 3 half-centuries.

All eyes are on the ODI squad against New Zealand, it remains to be seen whether vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is included in the team or not. BCCI can announce the squad on Saturday. Before this, a big update has come on Iyer’s fitness.

Shreyas Iyer is currently rehabbing at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. He was injured while fielding on the Australia tour. He fell while taking a catch and suffered internal injuries and internal bleeding. He was also out of the 3-match ODI series against South Africa, now fans are hoping that he will return from the ODI series against New Zealand.

Update on Shreyas Iyer’s fitness

According to the report, Shreyas Iyer has successfully completed his first match simulation session at BCCI’s Center of Excellence. He will do another similar session on January 5. If he passes it, the COE medical team will give him the necessary clearance to play domestic and international cricket.”

Shreyas Iyer impressed with his batting during the Australia tour. In the last match of the series, he got injured while fielding, at that time it appeared to be a normal injury but the scan revealed internal bleeding. After this he was admitted to a hospital in Sydney.

The first ODI against New Zealand will be played on 11 January. The second ODI will be held on 14th and the third match will be held on 18th January. That means, if the squad is announced on January 3, then Shreyas Iyer can be included, but BCCI will make it clear that the final decision on his playing will depend on the medical report.

shreyas iyer career

Talking about Iyer’s international career, he scored 811, 2917 and 1104 runs for India in 14 Tests, 73 ODIs and 51 T20 matches respectively. He has scored 5 centuries in ODI and 1 century in Test. Iyer is the captain of Punjab Kings in IPL 2026. Under his captaincy, he took Punjab to the final last year. The update regarding Iyer is also good news for Punjab.

Indian cricket team’s first series this year is against New Zealand, whose first match is on 11 January. BCCI has not yet announced the team for this 3-match ODI series. It is likely that the Indian team will be announced on Saturday, January 3. Before this, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has chosen his team.

India’s last ODI series was against South Africa, in which KL Rahul captained in the absence of Shubman Gill. India had won this series by 2-1. Virat Kohli had scored a century in 2 out of 3 matches and a half-century in one. Rohit Sharma and Kohli are in great form.

Aakash Chopra included Shubman Gill as captain in his team, although the surprising thing was that he also included Rituraj Gaikwad in his team. Actually, in the last series, Gaikwad was a part of the team due to Gill’s absence. The former cricketer chose Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul as the 2 wicketkeepers in his team while not Dhruv Jurel or Ishan Kishan. Let us tell you that Pant was a part of the team in the last ODI series, but he did not get a place in the playing 11.

What is Rishabh Pant’s mistake?

Aakash Chopra said, “I will keep Rishabh Pant at number-14, although there will be talk on why Pant was included, why not Ishan Kishan or Dhruv Jurel? You can keep anyone, but tell me what is Pant’s fault?”

‘Shreyas Iyer’s exit is certain’

Regarding the inclusion of Ruturaj Gaikwad in the team, Aakash Chopra said that Shreyas Iyer is almost certain to be out of the series as he has not got the clearance yet and hence, Gaikwad can continue to play at number 4 or 5.

Aakash Chopra said, “The update on Shreyas Iyer is that he will not be available for this series. So don’t be surprised if his name is not in the team, and if his name is not there, then Gaikwad will continue to play at number four. KL Rahul has been kept at number 5 as a wicketkeeper, batsman and probably the vice-captain in the team.”

Aakash Chopra also included Mohammed Siraj in his team, who last played against Australia in October. However, Chopra also did not give place to Mohammed Shami in his team.

Indian team selected by Aakash Chopra

Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Axar Patel/Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Tilak Verma, Harshit Rana, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

India vs New Zealand ODI series will start from January 11. The Indian squad for this series can be announced on January 11. According to Times of India, Team India’s Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar is going to hold an online meeting for squad selection on January 3. Shubman Gill is going to return for the three ODI series.

Quoting Times of India, a BCCI source said that the selection committee under the leadership of Ajit Agarkar is going to hold an online meeting on January 3, in which the squad for the ODI series will be finalized.

Gill’s return

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be returning in the ODI series, who will be seen in the field for the first time after the South Africa ODI series. Shubman Gill, who missed the series against South Africa due to neck injury, will return to the ODI team as captain against New Zealand. Let us tell you that Gill has been dropped from the Indian squad for T20 World Cup 2026.

Nothing is clear yet about the vice-captain of the ODI team, Shreyas Iyer, because he has not been able to get approval to play again from the BCCI Center of Excellence. He will remain under the observation of the medical team for at least one more week. Iyer may also miss the ODI series.

Hardik-Bumrah rested

In view of the preparations for T20 World Cup 2026, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah may be given rest. Hardik and Bumrah have not even played the last 2 ODI series. The team management wants to give priority to his fitness as the T20 World Cup is approaching.

It will also be interesting to see whether Uttar Pradesh’s in-form batsman Dhruv Jurel gets a chance or not. Jurel has scored 324 runs in four innings of Vijay Hazare Trophy at an excellent average of 108. During this period he has scored one century and two half-centuries.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal had scored a century in India’s last ODI match, for which he also received the Player of the Match award. Despite this, he may be out of the ODI team against New Zealand. India vs New Zealand 3 match ODI series will start from January 11, for which the team has not been announced yet.

Yashasvi Jaiswal had scored a century in the third ODI against South Africa played in Visakhapatnam. He scored 116 runs in 121 balls, in which he hit 2 sixes and 12 fours. Then why is it difficult for him to get a place in the next series? The reason behind this is Shubman Gill!

Gill’s return makes Jaiswal’s place difficult

Shubman Gill was injured in the Test series against South Africa, after which he had to be ruled out of the entire ODI series. He made a comeback from the T20 series, although his performance in it was not good. Gill is not a part of the T20 World Cup and the T20 series against New Zealand, but the ODI captain will return from the ODI series against New Zealand.

Shubman Gill starts the innings with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli comes at number three. In such a situation, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal will be difficult. Jaiswal has scored 171 runs in 4 ODI matches played for India, which includes a century.

26-year-old Gill was appointed Test and ODI captain by BCCI this year. Gill has scored 2818 runs for India in 58 ODI matches with a strike rate of 99.22. He has scored 8 centuries and 15 half-centuries in ODIs.

Gill and Jaiswal as openers

Shubhman Gill has scored 2552 runs in 53 ODI matches for India as an opener, in which there are 7 centuries and 14 half-centuries. His highest score is 208 runs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored 171 runs in 4 ODI matches played for India as an opener. In the last match, he played his biggest ODI innings, he scored an unbeaten 116 runs.

India’s probable squad against NZ

Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.