With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma expected to provide experience and stability, the spotlight will firmly rest on captain Shubman Gill, who begins his bid for redemption in the first match of the three-ODI series against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday.
Gill’s omission from India’s T20 World Cup squad has added an extra layer of intrigue to the series, turning the ODIs into an important platform for the 24-year-old to reassert his credentials. Limited game time in recent months due to injury and a lean patch of form have placed Gill under scrutiny, and his return to the ODI XI will be closely monitored by the team management.
Even as the T20 World Cup looms less than a month away, the 50-over format offers Gill a chance to reset. India’s think tank will be keen to see how the skipper responds, particularly after featuring only sporadically late last year following injuries that ruled him out of a significant portion of the South Africa series.
Gill’s reinstatement at the top of the order is likely to come at the expense of Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite the left-hander scoring his maiden ODI century in the final match against South Africa. The decision underlines the importance the management places on Gill rediscovering his rhythm ahead of a packed international calendar.
While the focus remains on Gill, Kohli and Rohit continue to anchor India’s batting plans. Both senior batters arrived in strong touch after productive outings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy league stage, where they struck big scores to reaffirm their dominance in the ODI format.
India are also set to regain middle-order stability with the return of Shreyas Iyer, who is expected to slot back into his preferred No. 4 position after a period of experimentation. KL Rahul’s continued role as wicketkeeper-batter is likely to keep Rishabh Pant on the sidelines for the ODIs, with Pant remaining a backup option in the format.
The bowling attack will have a fresh look, with Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya rested to manage workload ahead of the T20 World Cup. Mohammed Siraj will lead a pace unit that includes Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, while spin responsibilities will be shared by Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja trained at full intensity on Friday, indicating his readiness for the series opener.
The match will also mark a milestone moment, as the new Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Kotambi hosts its first men’s international fixture, having previously staged a women’s ODI series between India and the West Indies.
For New Zealand, the series represents an opportunity to test depth rather than dwell on past results. Several senior players are unavailable, including Mitchell Santner (groin injury), Tom Latham (family reasons) and Kane Williamson, who is in South Africa for SA20 commitments. Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy have been rested, while Matt Henry continues his recovery from a calf injury.
Michael Bracewell will lead a reshuffled side that blends experience and youth, with attention on all-rounder Kyle Jamieson and young leg-spinner Adithya Ashok. Jayden Lennox has been drafted in as a replacement for Santner. Despite the absence of several frontline names, New Zealand still boast a formidable batting core in Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will Young and Glenn Phillips.
Squads:
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana.
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (captain), Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Hay (wicketkeeper), Nick Kelly, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox, Michael Rae.