India has announced a balanced 15-member ODI squad for the three match series against New Zealand. Shubman Gill titled as the captain and Shreyas Iyer as the vice-captain, subjected to fitness clearance. The squad combines experienced cricketers like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli alongside notably emerging talents such as Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Key Squad Highlights Shubman Gill will lead the team. He’s back after missing the South Africa ODIs because of a neck injury. Shreyas Iyer also returns as vice-captain, but his place depends on getting full fitness clearance from the BCCI. Hardik Pandya is the big name missing out. He isn’t ready to bowl all 10 overs yet, so the selectors are being careful with him before the T20 World Cup. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, and Dhruv Jurel didn’t make the squad even after doing well in domestic cricket. Rishabh Pant stays in the team as the backup wicketkeeper to KL Rahul. Batting and Wicketkeeper The batting lineup has Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and captain Shubman Gill. Yashasvi Jaiswal is also in the squad to cover the opening spots if needed. KL Rahul will be the main wicketkeeper, with Rishabh Pant as backup. This gives the team more options in the middle order and at the end of the innings. Bowling and All-rounder Mohammed Siraj leads the fast bowlers, with Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana adding variety with swing and pace. Kuldeep Yadav is the main spinner, while Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja provide balance by contributing with both bat and ball. India’s ODI Playing XI Rohit Sharma (Opening batter) Shubman Gill (C) (Opening/Top order) Virat Kohli (Middle order) KL Rahul (WK) (Wicket-keeper/batter) Shreyas Iyer (VC) (Middle order) Rishabh Pant (WK) (Finisher/Wicket-keeper) Washington Sundar (All-rounder) Ravindra Jadeja (All-rounder) Mohammed Siraj (Fast bowler) Harshit Rana (Pace bowling option) Kuldeep Yadav (Spin bowler) **The participation of Iyer is subject to fitness clearance. Note: The entire 15-member team also has Nitish Kumar Reddy and Arshdeep Singh who are the reserve players that can be called upon at a later time. Final Thoughts The ODI squad that India has in its match against New Zealand would be full of experience, stability, and flexibility. Having the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul to lead the batting, batting will be well-rounded. The balance is provided by the addition of all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja and the combination of pace and spin bowling. All in all India is all set to show it’s magic against New Zealand. FAQs Q: Is Rachin Ravindra Indian or New Zealand? A: Rachin Ravindra is a New Zealand cricketer, though his parents are of Indian origin. Q: Is Shubman Gill replacing Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain? A: No official announcement yet — Rohit Sharma is still India’s ODI captain. Q: Is Rohit Sharma removed from ODIs? A: No, Rohit Sharma continues to be part of India’s ODI setup. Q: Which Indian player plays for New Zealand? A: None. New Zealand’s Indian-origin players (like Rachin Ravindra) are New Zealand nationals, not Indian players.
