Gill and Iyer to Share Captaincy; Bumrah Out of India's ODI Squad for NZ Tour
Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer to share captaincy in ODIs against New Zealand. Jasprit Bumrah misses out on the ODI squad.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled a unique leadership plan for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, announcing that the ODI squad will be led by two different captains across the five-match series. Shubman Gill is set to lead the side in the first three ODIs, while Shreyas Iyer will take the reins for the final two encounters.
Captaincy Split and Squad Dynamics
The decision to split the captaincy comes as Shubman Gill will depart after the third match to begin preparations for the subsequent Test series. During the opening three games, Shreyas Iyer will serve as the vice-captain before stepping up as the leader for the fourth and fifth ODIs.
In a surprising move, India's premier pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been omitted from the ODI squad. However, he remains a pivotal part of the tour, having been named in the Test squad. Another notable absence from the limited-overs setup is veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was recently part of the home series against the West Indies.
Fresh Faces and Fitness Hurdles
The BCCI has introduced some new talent into the mix. Fast bowler Anshul Kamboj has earned a call-up for the first three matches, while wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra joins the squad for the final two games. Meanwhile, the inclusion of Prasidh Krishna for the initial three ODIs remains contingent upon his fitness clearance.
The Batting and Bowling Depth
India's batting order remains formidable, featuring the legendary duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They are supported by a deep lineup including Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
On the bowling front, Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack, supported by young bowlers Anshul Kamboj and Gurnoor Brar. The spin department will be managed by the experienced duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.
Tour Schedule
The five-match ODI series is scheduled as follows:
- November 4: First ODI in Auckland
- Second and Third ODIs: Wellington and Hamilton
- November 13 and 15: Final two ODIs in Mount Maunganui
India's Test Squad Announcement
Alongside the ODI teams, the BCCI also revealed the Test squad, which will be captained by Shubman Gill, with KL Rahul as his deputy. The Test lineup includes:
- Batting: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sai Sudharsan.
- Wicketkeeping: Rishabh Pant (subject to fitness clearance) and Dhruv Jurel.
- Bowling: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and Anshul Kamboj.
- All-rounders & Spin: Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Complete ODI Squads
First Three ODIs:
Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Fourth and Fifth ODIs:
Shreyas Iyer (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (WK, VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav.