Jadeja and Jaiswal omitted as India unveils ODI squads for New Zealand series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled its squad selections for the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand, signalling a strategic shift in the team's long-term planning for the 2027 World Cup. The announcement, made on Friday, confirms two distinct squads for the series, a move designed to balance the requirements of the white-ball format with the impending two-match Test series that follows shortly after.

The selection process has resulted in the notable exclusion of veteran allrounder Ravindra Jadeja from the opening three matches. His omission follows a period of inconsistent form, casting uncertainty over his future role in the national setup. In his place, Axar Patel has been recalled to the ODI fold, providing the team with a like-for-like replacement as he looks to solidify his position ahead of the tournament in Africa.

The pace bowling unit will also undergo rotation throughout the series. Anshul Kamboj has been drafted in for the first three ODIs, replacing Auqib Nabi, who struggled in his recent outing against the West Indies. This arrangement is set to be reversed for the final two matches of the series, as Kamboj shifts his focus to Test duties.

The squad structure will see significant personnel changes following the third ODI. Players including Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Anshul Kamboj, and Prasidh Krishna are set to exit the group to prepare for the Test series. Their departures will pave the way for the return of Auqib Nabi and the introduction of new faces, with Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, and Yash Thakur joining the squad for the final two fixtures. Notably, Kushagra and Thakur are in line to potentially make their ODI debuts during this period.