New Delhi: Key players including Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj are likely to miss the last two ODIs in Mount Maunganui to focus on red-ball preparations.
In Gill’s absence, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is expected to lead the ODI side, continuing his leadership role from the T20I series. This move is aimed at ensuring core Test players are fresh and acclimatised ahead of the opening Test in Wellington on November 19.
The tour schedule leaves only four days between the final ODI on November 15 and the first Test on November 19, with no warm-up matches in between. This short turnaround has led to plans for early withdrawal of multi-format players from the ODI squad to allow travel and Test-specific training in Wellington. Such timing pressures have drawn scrutiny as they impact readiness for a pivotal Test series with World Test Championship stakes.
Running from October 22 to December 1, the New Zealand tour features five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, marking the largest inbound series in New Zealand Cricket history. The ODI leg is significant for India’s 2027 World Cup build-up, while the Tests are vital for their World Test Championship campaign. Resting first-choice players in the latter ODIs will challenge India’s bench strength against a competitive home side.
India’s coaching group of Gautam Gambhir, Morne Morkel, Sitanshu Kotak and Subhadeep Ghosh is expected to be divided, with some members staying for the ODIs and others travelling early to Wellington. This arrangement allows simultaneous focus on the ODI conclusion and Test build-up. It reflects the logistical adjustments required to handle the overlap between formats in the current schedule.
