The BCCI announced the squads for India's five-match ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled from November 4 to 15, 2026. Two separate groups were named, with Shubman Gill captaining ODIs 1 to 3 and Shreyas Iyer taking charge for ODIs 4 and 5.
While the selections brought maiden ODI call-ups for Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj and Gurnoor Brar, a few experienced and in-form names were absent from both squads. Their omissions have become talking points among fans and observers.
Here are the 3 Indian players who deserved a place in the ODI squad for the NZ tour:
3. Ravindra Jadeja
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja was not included in either of the two ODI squads for the New Zealand series. His absence has been described as one of the more notable talking points surrounding the selection announcement.
Jadeja is a left-arm spinner who also contributes with the bat and in the field. He had featured in ODI series against West Indies for India before this tour, making his exclusion harder to overlook. Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy were preferred as the all-round options in both squads, but Jadeja's experience and ability to influence a match across all three departments made him a strong case for inclusion. With no official selector comment available on the specific reason for his omission, the decision remains open to debate.
2. Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami was not part of either ODI squad named for the New Zealand tour. Bhuvneshwar Kumar also missed out, with the selectors opting for a different combination of pace bowlers across the two groups.
Shami has been a key contributor to India's ODI success, particularly with the new ball and in the middle overs. His ability to swing the ball and take wickets at crucial stages has made him one of the more reliable fast bowlers in the format. Despite that record, the selectors went with Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar and Yash Thakur across the two squads.
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal was not selected in either of the two ODI squads for the New Zealand tour. This included the squad for ODIs 4 and 5, where Shubman Gill was not available as captain.
Jaiswal is a left-handed opener who has impressed across formats for India. His omission from both squads, even when an additional opener could have been considered for the later games, made his absence a notable one. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rohit Sharma were among the top-order options retained across both groups, but Jaiswal's consistent performances in international cricket made him a credible candidate for a place in the touring party. India will also play two Tests against New Zealand after the ODI series concludes.
