India has recently announced the 15-member squad for the three-match ODI Series against New Zealand, starting on January 11. Skipper Shubham Gill has returned to the team after recovering from his injury. Veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are also a part of the squad. Star bowler Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have been rested in the series to keep them fresh for the upcoming T20I Series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup.
India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand series: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Shreyas Iyer (vc)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
India’s top-order and middle-order
As Gill has returned to the squad, he will likely open the innings with veteran Rohit Sharma, with Virat Kohli to bat at No. 3.
Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, who was included in the squad, was subject to fitness testing, but he has now received the fitness certificate from the BCCI CoE and is fit to play in the first ODI. He will bat at No. 4.
As a wicket-keeper batter, KL Rahul has solidified his spot at No. 5 in ODIs. Although Gautam Gambhir and team management have tried to experiment by putting a left-handed batsman up the order, they should retain their wicketkeeper-batsman in his ideal role.
After Rahul, India has the option to add Rishabh Pant as an extra batter, but it will come at the cost of a sixth bowling option. That’s not something the team India has found success in recent times.
India’s lower order [spin and fast bowling option]
As India is playing at their home, they will go with three-spin bowling options. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar as two spin-allrounders and Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner.
Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Harshit Rana should be the three prime pacers. Prasidh Krishna, who played the last ODI series against South Africa last month, has to sit out the playing XI after Siraj’s inclusion.
Siraj and Harshit will take command of the new ball, and Arshdeep will take the responsibility of death bowling alongside Siraj.
India’s likely playing XI for the first ODI against NZ:
Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh.
The second and third ODI matches of the series will be played on January 14 and January 18, respectively, at Rajkot and Indore.
