“ONE RISK IS THAT YOU CAN GET HURRIED, WANTING TO START WELL- SHREYAS SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THAT” – SANJAY BANGAR

New Zealand's Tour of India 2026 gets underway with the 1st ODI of the 3-match series, featuring Shubman Gill back as captain and Shreyas Iyer's injury comeback. Sanjay Bangar described Gill's captaincy as "work in progress" aided by Rohit and Kohli, highlighted home spin advantages with Kuldeep Yadav, and praised Iyer's spin-dominating ODI skills.

Sanjay Bangar assessed Shubman Gill's early captaincy with the potential to grow into a strong leader: "It is early days. Shubman Gill had a great Test tour of England and a tough one in Australia. You cannot judge him too much right now. It is a work in progress. The more he captains, the better he will get. He has good support on the field, with access to the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat

Kohli for leadership decisions under pressure. He is going to grow and eventually become a good ODI captain."

On why captaining at home in ODIs should be easier due to spin-friendly conditions and a strong batting lineup: "Leading in home ODIs should not be a problem for Shubman Gill. You are playing in your own backyard. You have fantastic spinners like Kuldeep Yadav who can do the job. Sometimes India has not played Kuldeep in ODIs outside the subcontinent, which has been a concern, but I do not see that happening often at home. This means you will always have wicket-taking options. Also, with high-performing batters like Shreyas Iyer coming back and KL Rahul being consistent in a different role, there are many batting positives. From an Indian view, playing at home means spin can be a strength again, especially in the middle overs."

On the strengths and the single point of caution for the returning Shreyas Iyer: "The one risk is that you can get hurried, wanting to start well and contribute immediately. That is what Shreyas Iyer should be mindful of. But he has made a good comeback, playing well for his home team in domestic cricket. He understands ODI cricket very well. He has been in international cricket for years. Since 2023, the way he played in the World Cup, dominating spin, was a treat to watch. His skills will be very useful. In the last series, Ruturaj Gaikwad got the number four spot for his spin play. Now Shreyas Iyer returns and takes that spot back, so his strong point will be used fully."