A look at India's best 11 for New Zealand ODIs

• Gill & Iyer return to India's ODI squad vs New Zealand; Siraj also included.
• Pandya & Bumrah rested. Iyer's inclusion depends on fitness clearance.
• Probable India XI: Gill, Rohit, Kohli, Iyer, Rahul, Reddy, Jadeja, et al.

Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer were recalled to India’s ODI squad for the three-match series against New Zealand, with Iyer’s inclusion subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.

Mohammed Siraj also returned, with Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Dhruv Jurel making way for the incomers.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pacer Jasprit Bumrah were rested for workload management reasons.

While the core of the team would remain the same, fans could expect to see a lot of changes in the playing 11 compared to the team that took on South Africa in the latest ODI in Vizag on December 6.

Gill, returning from a neck injury, would take his place back at the top of the order, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit a century in Vizag. Rohit Sharma is in excellent form, too, having scored a ton in his VHT return recently, and will partner the skipper to restore the 2023 World Cup opening partnership.

Virat Kohli will continue at three. He has also followed the BCCI’s diktat to play the VHT, and put up match-winning performances in both games so far, while he’s also expected to feature in another before the ODIs.

The number four position could be tricky. Iyer, back after recovering from a spleen injury, is expected to play a few Vijay Hazare Trophy games before the ODI series and would need to prove his fitness.

The selectors’ decision to drop Gaikwad seems to suggest that they believe Iyer would be able to start in the first ODI on January 11, and he definitely makes the best 11 as one of India’s top ODI scorers since 2023. If he were to miss the game, though, India can turn to backup wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to fill in at four.

Tilak Varma was stationed at five against South Africa in that third match, but KL Rahul should take his place back now. Washington Sundar started the first two ODIs against the Proteas but was dropped for Tilak in the third — here, it would be a toss-up between him and Nitish Reddy for the second all-rounder’s spot.

Ravindra Jadeja should maintain his spot at number seven, shouldering the majority of the finishing duties in Pandya’s absence. Harshit Rana gives the team depth, so he’d continue at number eight.

The returning Siraj would pip Prasidh Krishna and lead the attack comprising easy selections, Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh.

India’s best 11 for New Zealand ODI series: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammend Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh.