The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian men’s cricket squads for the upcoming ODI and Test series against New Zealand. Shubman Gill will captain the side for the first three matches of the five-match ODI series, while Shreyas Iyer will lead the team for the final two matches. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have also been included in the squad for the ODI series. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill will serve as captain for the Test series, with Rishabh Pant’s participation contingent upon his fitness.
Gill to lead in the first three ODIs
A 16-member squad has been announced for the first three ODIs, with Shubman Gill named captain and Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain. The squad includes wicketkeeper-batters KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan, alongside all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Naman Dhir. Experienced batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be available for the entire ODI series.
Iyer to captain the final two matches
Changes have been made to the squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs. Shreyas Iyer will take over as captain for these two matches, with Ishan Kishan appointed as vice-captain. For this phase, left-handed batter Tilak Varma, wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, and fast bowler Yash Thakur have been added to the squad. This marks the first time both Kumar Kushagra and Yash Thakur have been included in an ODI squad.
Preparing for the Tests after the first three ODIs
Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul and fast bowlers Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna will be available only for the first three ODIs. Following this, they will join the squad to prepare for the Test series. Adjustments have been made to the squad for the final two ODIs to account for their departure.
Diverse bowling options
The ODI squad features fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Gurnoor Brar, along with spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep will play a key role in the spin department, while Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy will provide all-round options. However, experienced fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have not found a place in the squad.
Gill to lead the Test team
Shubman Gill has been appointed as captain and KL Rahul as vice-captain for the Test series. Several prominent players, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, and Ravindra Jadeja, have been included in the squad. Dhruv Jurel has been selected as a wicketkeeper, while a final decision on Rishabh Pant’s participation will depend on his fitness.
A balance of pace and spin
In the Test squad, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Anshul Kamboj will handle the fast-bowling responsibilities. The spin department will feature Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar. Nitish Kumar Reddy will also provide an additional all-round option for the team.
Both series to be played in November
According to the announced schedule, the ODI series will take place between November 4 and 15. This will be followed by a two-match Test series, running from November 19 to December 1. The Indian team will prepare for these upcoming contests with distinct squad compositions for each format and a change in captaincy for the ODI series.
Indian squad for the first three ODIs
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-captain), KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Indian Team for the 4th and 5th ODIs
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper/Vice-Captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Aaqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (Wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Indian Team for the Test Series
Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper, subject to fitness), Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj.
