India Squads for New Zealand Tour Announced: Gill and Iyer to Share ODI Captaincy
By NajamSports Team | October 16, 2026
File photo: Shubman Gill in India's blue T20 kit — Wikimedia Commons (CC0). Gill will captain India in the first three ODIs and the Test series on the New Zealand tour.
Kicker: BCCI unveils squads for five ODIs and two Tests in November — Kohli and Rohit available for the full ODI series, Hardik Pandya left out again.
What Happened?
The BCCI's Men's Selection Committee has announced India's ODI and Test squads for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, in an official media advisory released on Friday, October 16, 2026. India will play five ODIs and two Test matches against New Zealand after the ongoing home T20I series against West Indies wraps up.
The headline decision: Shubman Gill will captain India in the first three ODIs, with Shreyas Iyer as his vice-captain. For the fourth and fifth ODIs, Iyer takes over as captain, with Ishan Kishan named his deputy. Gill also continues as India's Test captain, with KL Rahul as vice-captain.
Latest Updates: Who Is In, Who Is Out
India's ODI squad for the first three ODIs (Gill captain): 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*, Kuldeep Yadav.
India's ODI squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs (Iyer captain): 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, Kuldeep Yadav.
India's Test squad (Gill captain): Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (VC), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (WK)*, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
(* selection subject to fitness clearance)
The big talking points from the selection:
- Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma available for the ENTIRE five-match ODI series — no rest, no rotation for the two senior batters.
- Hardik Pandya's absence continues — the all-rounder is not in either ODI squad, extending his white-ball exile.
- Kumar Kushagra earns a maiden ODI call-up for the final two matches — a fresh wicketkeeper-batter option.
- Akash Deep returns to the Test squad, alongside Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who all make Test comebacks.
- Jasprit Bumrah misses the ODI leg but has been picked for the Tests.
- Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar miss out on both squads.
File photo: Shreyas Iyer in India's blue ODI jersey — Wikimedia Commons (CC0). Iyer will captain the last two ODIs of the tour.
Why This News Matters
This is not a routine squad announcement — it tells us where Indian cricket's leadership is heading. Handing Gill the first three ODIs and the Tests while giving Iyer the last two is a deliberate experiment: the BCCI is managing Gill's workload while quietly auditioning Iyer as a genuine captaincy option. If Iyer wins both games, his name enters every leadership conversation going forward.
Kohli and Rohit playing all five ODIs is the strongest signal yet that the 2027 ODI World Cup build-up has properly begun. Both are ODIs-only internationals now, and the selectors want them battle-ready, not rested.
And Hardik? Another omission from a white-ball squad is hard to read any other way — India's selectors appear to be moving on, building their all-round core around Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Naman Dhir instead.
Upcoming Matches — India Tour of New Zealand
ODI series (all matches 7:30 AM IST): 1st ODI — November 4, Auckland; 2nd ODI — November 7, Wellington; 3rd ODI — November 10, Hamilton; 4th ODI — November 13, Mount Maunganui; 5th ODI — November 15, Mount Maunganui. The two Tests follow, and the series forms part of ICC World Test Championship qualification. This is India's first Test series in New Zealand since 2019 and their first white-ball assignment there since 2022.
File photo: Virat Kohli — Wikimedia Commons (GODL-India). Kohli is available for the full ODI series.
Our Analysis
I have been watching this selection pattern for a while, and here is my honest read: the Gill–Iyer split is the smartest thing the selectors have done in months. Gill is being groomed as the all-format leader — that part is settled. But throwing Iyer two ODIs as captain is a low-risk, high-information move. New Zealand in New Zealand is no easy assignment; if Iyer handles it, India suddenly has depth at the top.
My prediction: Kohli and Rohit will both play all five ODIs, and at least one of them finishes as the series' top scorer — they do not travel to New Zealand to sit out. I also expect Akash Deep to play a bigger role in the Tests than people think; New Zealand conditions suit his style, and Bumrah cannot carry every session alone.
What should readers watch next? The West Indies T20I decider on October 17 first — Gill's form there will set the tone — then the tour kick-off around October 22. And keep an eye on whether Hardik gets a domestic run to force his way back; right now, the door is closing.
Conclusion
India's New Zealand tour squads are out, and the message is clear: Gill leads, Iyer auditions, the seniors stay, and Hardik waits. Five ODIs and two Tests in November will shape India's 2027 World Cup plans and their WTC campaign. This is a tour worth following ball by ball.
Stay updated with NajamSports.online for the latest cricket news, match reports and analysis. Who do you think should be India's long-term ODI captain — Gill or Iyer? Tell us in the comments.
FAQs
Who will captain India in the ODIs against New Zealand? Shubman Gill will captain the first three ODIs with Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain; Iyer takes over as captain for the fourth and fifth ODIs with Ishan Kishan as his deputy.
When does India's tour of New Zealand start? The ODI series runs from November 4 to November 15, 2026, across Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Mount Maunganui. Two Tests follow.
Is Hardik Pandya in the squad for the New Zealand tour? No — Hardik Pandya has not been included in either ODI squad, continuing his absence from India's white-ball setup.
Will Kohli and Rohit play all five ODIs? Yes — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been named in both ODI squads and will be available for the entire five-match series.
Who is Kumar Kushagra? Kumar Kushagra is a wicketkeeper-batter who has earned his maiden ODI call-up for the final two ODIs against New Zealand.
Read More
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar Recalled for the Bengaluru Decider Against West Indies
- West Indies Beat India by 24 Runs in Hyderabad to Level the T20I Series
- Shubman Gill Declared Fit for the West Indies ODIs — Now He Leads the New Zealand Tour
Sources
- BCCI official media advisory — "India's ODI and Test squads for New Zealand tour announced" (October 16, 2026)
- Times of India — India Test and ODI squads for New Zealand tour
- Indian Express — Shreyas Iyer to lead India in final two ODIs