Ruturaj Gaikwad is likely to continue being part of India’s ODI squad for the upcoming New Zealand series, with the selectors expected to retain the core group that featured in the recent series against
the West Indies. India are likely to go in with a largely unchanged 15-member squad as they continue building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Ruturaj Gaikwad likely to retain his place
Gaikwad was included in India’s squad for the West Indies ODI series and is expected to remain part of the setup for the New Zealand assignment. The selectors could back the Maharashtra batter as they look to provide greater continuity and give him more opportunities in the 50-over format.
Shubman Gill is expected to continue as India’s ODI captain, while KL Rahul could retain the vice-captaincy.
Probable Squad for NZ series:
Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir and Anshul Kamboj.
Jadeja and Siraj likely to remain part of squad
Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj are also expected to retain their places after being part of the West Indies series. Jadeja provides India with experience and balance as a left-arm all-rounder, while Siraj remains an important option in the pace department.
The selectors are likely to prefer continuity rather than make wholesale changes ahead of the New Zealand series. The upcoming ODIs will be another opportunity for India to assess their players and gradually settle on their preferred combination for the 2027 World Cup.
Anshul Kamboj could also continue in the squad after coming into the West Indies setup following Prasidh Krishna’s injury.
