India Squad for New Zealand ODI Series Announcement Highlights: Gill To Lead, Shreyas Iyer, Siraj Return, Rishabh Pant In- Check Full Team

India Squad for New Zealand ODI Series Announcement, AS IT HAPPENED: India have named their squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11 in Vadodara.

Shubman Gill will captain the side, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli included. Shreyas Iyer has been appointed vice-captain, subject to fitness clearance, while KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the wicketkeeping options.

Hardik Pandya has been left out as he is yet to be cleared to bowl 10 overs, with the BCCI managing his workload ahead of the T20 World Cup.

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

The ODI leg, in particular, carries added intrigue. Several senior players are likely to rejoin the 50-over setup, marking a shift from the experimentation seen in recent months. Much of the spotlight is expected to fall on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are tipped to make their comeback to the ODI side after missing the South Africa series. Their return would bring experience and leadership to a squad that has been in transition, especially with the long-term roadmap toward global events in mind.

Preparations for the ODI series are set to begin early, with the Indian squad expected to assemble in Vadodara on January 7. The city will also host the opening ODI on January 11, before the action moves to Rajkot for the second match on January 14. The final ODI will be played in Indore on January 18, rounding off the 50-over segment of the tour.

Once the ODIs conclude, focus will shift sharply to the shorter format. The five-match T20I series is expected to serve as the final testing ground for the Indian team ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the T20 side will look to fine-tune combinations, assess form, and identify the best balance before entering the global tournament as defending champions.

New Zealand's presence adds competitive value to the series, given their consistent performances across formats in recent years. Facing a strong opponent at home should offer India a realistic assessment of their readiness, especially in high-pressure scenarios.

As per reports, the squads for the series are likely to be announced on January 3. With senior stars returning in ODIs and crucial decisions pending in T20Is, the upcoming New Zealand series is shaping up to be a pivotal checkpoint in India's white-ball journey.

Credit: Mykhel