The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand in the first week of January, with a selection committee meeting scheduled for January 3, 2026.
Following a dominant performance in the recent T20I series against South Africa at home, the focus shifts to the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting on January 11. Notably, the selectors have already named the squad for the T20I series against the Black Caps.
When Will The BCCI Announce The India ODI Squad?
BCCI’s selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to hold an online meeting on Wednesday, January 3, to finalize the squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
They will also play a five-match Test series, for which the BCCI already announced the team-the same team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
Now, a One Cricket report suggested that the national selectors will meet the first week of January to confirm the ODI squad for the New Zealand series, and an official announcement from the BCCI is likely by the evening of January 3 or January 4, 2026.
The Big Comeback: Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli’s ODI Return
All eyes are on the return of senior stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the 50-over setup. The Indian batting icons have been in scintillating form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 after dominating the recent ODI series against South Africa at home.
Kohli and Rohit’s inclusion would significantly bolster India’s top order for the big series, as New Zealand has already named a second-string squad for the ODI leg to rest their key players for the T20I leg of the India tour, keeping in mind the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Key Selection Headaches & Players in Focus
The BCCI selectors face a pleasant yet tough challenge with multiple players vying for limited spots in the ODI squad for the upcoming home series.
– Middle-Order Conundrum: With KL Rahul’s recent ODI outings under scrutiny, performers like Ishan Kishan, who has been on fire and recently hit a stunning century in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, are pressing hard for a recall.
And then Shreyas Iyer is also in line for a comeback.
– The Shubman Gill Question: India’s Test and ODI captain is under the radar after being left out of the T20 World Cup squad. However, Gill is now fully fit from a neck injury, but his form is still a major concern for the selectors. He managed only 80 runs across three innings at home.
India Squad for T20I Series Against New Zealand:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel.