India National Cricket Team vs New Zealand National Cricket Team Match: India are expected to rest senior players Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand as part of workload management ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, according to the reports. A Cricbuzz report said both players are set to return for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting January 21 in Nagpur. Neither Bumrah nor Pandya has featured in India’s recent ODI matches because of fitness concerns and workload management. Bumrah last played an ODI in the 2023 World Cup final, while Pandya has been out of the format since the 2025 Champions Trophy final.
Bumrah recently played the T20I series against Australia and South Africa. He missed the third T2OI against South Africa in Dharamsala for personal reasons but returned for the final match in Ahmedabad. Pandya has only just returned from a quadriceps injury suffered late in the 2025 Asia Cup. The injury ruled him out of the Australia tour and the home series against South Africa. He made his return in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda and later featured in the T20I series against South Africa.
While he is likely to miss the New Zealand ODIs, Pandya is available for the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. The report said he could play two of Baroda’s final three league matches in Rajkot on Jan. 3, 6 and 8.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to announce the ODI squad around Jan. 3 or 4. India have already announced their squad for the five-match T20I series starting January 21, while New Zealand have named squads for both formats.
Shubman Gill is expected to lead India in the ODI series after recovering from a neck injury. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer remains unavailable as he continues rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
The Indian team will assemble in Vadodara on January 7 ahead of the series opener on January 11. The first ODI will be played in Vadodara. The series will then move to Rajkot for the second match on January 14. The third and final ODI is scheduled for January 18 in Indore.
India have won their last seven ODIs against New Zealand, including the 2025 Champions Trophy final and a 3-0 home series win in 2023.
