New Zealand on Tuesday named its squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of India, featuring a five-match T20I series followed by three ODIs. The series is seen as a crucial warm-up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka.
The T20I Squad vs India includes a mix of both youth and experience: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi. Jamieson will be featuring in both formats after recovering from injury with young talents like Bevon Jacobs and Tim Robinson have been included following their impressive domestic performances.
Similarly, the ODI Squad vs India has a mix of fresh faces and seasoned players: Michael Bracewell (c), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young. Jayden Lennox, a left-arm spinner, has earned his maiden international call-up after consistent performances for New Zealand A, while Kristian Clarke, another uncapped player, reflects the selectors’ focus on long-term team development.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Mitchell Santner will lead the T20I side as captain while he continues to heal from his injury, while Michael Bracewell has been handed captaincy duties for the ODI series.
Several senior players, including Jacob Duffy, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Will O’Rourke, and Blair Tickner, have been rested or ruled out due to injuries and workload management, as the team carefully balances its packed schedule, which includes the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27.
The T20I squad is expected to be better and stronger later in the series as players complete franchise commitments, allowing New Zealand to field a near full-strength squad ahead of finalising their T20 World Cup team in mid-January.
Head coach Rob Walter underlined the importance of the tour saying, “Playing in the sub-continent is very different from New Zealand, so any opportunity to expose our players to these conditions is valuable, especially ahead of a T20 World Cup in the region.”