IND vs. NZ ODI Series: Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah could be rested; Shubman to play, Shreyas' return unlikely; what challenges do selectors face?
Team India for the ODI series against New Zealand is expected to be announced on January 3 or 4. Veterans like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be seen in action, but Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah couls be rested.
While no major changes are expected in the team that won the series against South Africa a few weeks ago, the selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar may consider two issues.
Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, or Dhruv Jurel?
The first issue could be Pant's position as the second wicketkeeper, as Ishan Kishan has been performing brilliantly in the middle order for Jharkhand, and Dhruv Jurel has also scored a big century for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket.
Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah could be rested
All-rounder Hardik Pandya and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who were part of the T20 World Cup squad, may be rested for the ODI series. Both players have been struggling with injuries, so they might be given a break from the ODI series to manage their workload. However, both are part of the T20 series squad against New Zealand, so they will be seen playing in the T20s.
Shubman to play, Shreyas' return unlikely
Captain Shubman Gill could not play in the ODI series against South Africa last November. He was injured during the Test series but made a comeback in the T20 series. He will likely return for the ODI series against New Zealand and also captain the team.
Shreyas Iyer, the vice-captain of the ODI team during the Australia tour in September this year, also suffered an injury. He sustained a shoulder injury, due to which he has been away from cricket for the last 3 months. He is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. According to reports, he has not yet received a fitness certificate, so he will likely miss the New Zealand series as well.
Will Yashasvi Jaiswal be dropped?
With Shubman's return, the top three positions are fixed. In this scenario, left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who opened with Rohit Sharma against South Africa, might be dropped. Considering the playing XI combination, he might even be left out of the squad.
Who will bat at No. 4?
Due to Shreyas Iyer's injury, the number four position in the Indian team is not yet fixed. Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a century batting at this position against South Africa, so he might be given another opportunity there. Tilak Varma could be included in the squad as a backup.
However, since Tilak is also part of the World Cup squad, he might be rested. All-rounder Riyan Parag could be included in his place. Parag has played one ODI and nine T20s for India, scoring 121 runs and taking 7 wickets.