India Name Shreyas Iyer as ODI Vice-Captain for New Zealand Series
Shreyas Iyer is set to return to India’s leadership group for the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand, taking on the vice-captaincy for the opening three matches before leading the side in the final two. The changing captaincy arrangement gives regular ODI skipper Shubman Gill time to turn his attention to India’s two-Test series, which follows the one-day internationals and forms part of the World Test Championship cycle.
The squad has been announced in two stages, with several changes between the first three ODIs and the final pair. Ishan Kishan will serve as Iyer’s deputy when the middle-order batter takes over as captain, while also assuming wicketkeeping duties for the last two games. KL Rahul is named as wicketkeeper for the opening matches and is expected to join preparations for the Test series.
A split leadership plan for a busy India schedule
Gill will lead India in the first three ODIs, with Iyer as vice-captain. For the fourth and fifth matches, Iyer will take charge and Kishan will become vice-captain. The arrangement allows India to manage its workload across formats while giving Iyer an opportunity to lead the team during the closing stages of the tour.
Iyer missed the preceding ODI series against the West Indies amid India’s commitments in the T20I competition at the Asian Games. His return adds an experienced batter to the lineup and gives the team another established leadership option. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli included in both squads, India will also have considerable international experience available throughout the series.
The captaincy change is one of the most notable features for supporters following the tour. It also creates an opportunity to assess how India’s leadership group responds to different conditions and combinations across five matches. Any cricket prediction about the series will need to account for those adjustments, as well as the impact of players moving between ODI and Test preparations.
Prasidh Krishna returns, subject to fitness
Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been selected for the first three ODIs, but his availability is subject to fitness. He sustained a left hamstring injury during the second ODI against the West Indies and was replaced in that series by Anshul Kamboj. Kamboj has also been named in India’s squad for the opening three matches against New Zealand, providing an additional pace option while Prasidh’s condition is monitored.
Prasidh and Kamboj are both part of the Test squad, making their workload and fitness especially relevant ahead of the longer-format series. The selection gives India a chance to assess its fast-bowling resources in New Zealand, where seam movement and changing weather can influence one-day matches. The final call on Prasidh’s participation will depend on his recovery and readiness rather than selection alone.
New faces and squad changes for the final two ODIs
India will make several personnel changes for the fourth and fifth matches. Tilak Varma and wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra join the 16-member squad, while Auqib Nabi is included as a bowling option. Prasidh Krishna and Anshul Kamboj are not part of the squad for the last two ODIs, as India reshapes its group for the closing games.
Kishan is listed as both wicketkeeper and vice-captain for the final pair, while Kushagra provides another specialist wicketkeeping choice. The selection offers the team flexibility in its batting order and behind the stumps, although the final playing XI will depend on form, fitness and conditions. Tilak’s inclusion also gives India another middle-order option during the phase in which Iyer will captain.
Several players are retained across both squads: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav. Reddy, Siraj and Kuldeep are also named in the Test squad but remain available for the final ODIs, highlighting the challenge of balancing immediate match preparation with the demands of the upcoming Test series.
India’s squads for the New Zealand ODIs
First three ODIs: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna (subject to fitness) and Kuldeep Yadav.
Fourth and fifth ODIs: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.
ODI schedule and what to watch
The five-match ODI series begins on November 4, following India’s five-match T20I series. Auckland hosts the opener, with the second ODI scheduled for Wellington on November 7. The teams then travel to Hamilton for the third match on November 10. Mount Maunganui will stage the final two games on November 13 and 15.
The two-Test series is scheduled to begin on November 19, giving India only a short transition after the ODI finale. That tight turnaround helps explain the split leadership plan and the careful handling of players selected across formats. For followers making a cricket prediction, the key questions include whether India’s returning senior batters can set the tone, how quickly the pace attack settles into New Zealand conditions, and whether the squad changes strengthen the team in the final two matches.
India’s approach combines continuity with opportunities for emerging players. The first three ODIs feature Gill’s leadership and a squad that includes both Prasidh and Kamboj, while the last two bring Iyer into the captaincy role and add fresh options in Tilak Varma, Kushagra and Auqib Nabi. The series should therefore offer more than a contest for results: it will also provide a useful test of India’s depth, adaptability and planning ahead of the World Test Championship fixtures.
