New Delhi, Jan 3: Senior India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj on Saturday made a comeback to the ODI side for the three-match home series against New Zealand while batter Shreyas Iyer was included subject to fitness clearance.
Siraj, who was overlooked for the home series against South Africa, is back in the ODI setup. His new ball partner Jasprit Bumrah was expectedly rested from the series with the focus on the shortest format ahead of the T20 World Cup beginning next month.
Iyer, who was hospitalised during the ODI series in Australia in November for spleen laceration, will need to prove his match fitness in a Vijay Hazare Trophy game on January 6 to get fitness clearance from the Centre of Excellence (COE). He returns to the squad as vice-captain.
Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was not cleared by the COE to bowl 10 overs in a match and therefore the selectors did not include him in the team for the series beginning in Vadodara on January 11. There is also little point in risking him with T20 showpiece around the corner.The other two matches will be played in Rajkot and Indore on January 14 and 18 respectively. “Shreyas Iyer’s availability is subject to fitness clearance from BCCI COE,” said the BCCI in a statement.
“Hardik Pandya has not been cleared by the BCCI COE to bowl 10 overs in a match, and considering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to follow, his workload is being managed,” it added.
Ruturaj Gaikwad could not get the selectors’ nod despite scoring a fine hundred during the South Africa series. With captain Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer not part of the South Africa ODIs due to injuries, Gaikwad had made a splendid 105 off 83 balls batting at number four in Raipur.
After being dropped from the T20 World Cup squad, Gill will take back the ODI leadership mantle from KL Rahul, who led the team in the former’s absence.
Despite speculation, Rishabh Pant has retained his place as the second wicket-keeper in the squad.
Tilak Varma and Dhruv Jurel, who were part of the previous series, have been left out with senior players returning from injuries.
The pace attack comprises Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy being the fourth option.
India superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, now one format players, are once again expected to draw huge crowds to the three venues.
Overall, the selection underlines the Indian team management’s clear intent to strike a careful balance between immediate results and long-term priorities, with an unmistakable eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup. The return of Siraj strengthens the pace arsenal in Bumrah’s absence, while the conditional inclusion of Iyer reflects a cautious but hopeful approach towards reintegrating key players returning from injury. The decision to rest or sideline senior names like Pandya, Tilak Varma and Dhruv Jurel, despite their recent contributions, further highlights the selectors’ willingness to prioritise workload management over short-term experimentation. At the same time, the omission of an in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad serves as a reminder of the intense competition for places in a squad where experience still holds significant weight. With Gill reclaiming the captaincy, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli adding star value, and a relatively young pace unit looking to make an impression, the New Zealand series promises to be a telling rehearsal, not just for combinations and bench strength, but for India’s broader white-ball roadmap in a year dominated by global ambitions. (PTI)
