Why was Hardik Pandya left out of India’s ODI squad for New Zealand series? BCCI breaks silence

India announced its 15-player squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand on Saturday. The Men in Blue will compete in 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is, starting from January 11 in Baroda. Hardik Pandya, who particularly participated in the IND and SA T20I matches, is not included in the squad.

Just a few hours before the squad was announced, Hardik reached his first A Century List. However, with the 2026 T20 World Cup approaching, the BCCI is taking a cautious approach towards its star all-rounder. A medical update from the Indian cricket board showed that Hardik is not yet fit to score 10 overs in a match.

“Hardik Pandya has not been allowed to bowl 10 overs in a match by the BCCI COE and his workload is being managed in view of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to follow,” the BCCI said in a statement on X.

Shreyas Iyer’s availability is subject to availability clearance from BCCI COE.

Hardik Pandya has not been allowed to bowl 10 overs in a match by the BCCI COE and his workload is being managed considering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to follow.#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 3, 2026

Pandya faces a lengthy injury recovery after suffering a quadriceps injury during India’s successful Asia Cup 2025 campaign. The 32-year-old underwent rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence before returning for the IND-SA T20I series. His last ODI appearance was in the Champions Trophy 2025 Final earlier this year.

In his first match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Saturday, Hardik bowled just 2 overs as his team suffered a disappointing 9-wicket defeat. The workload is being carefully managed with the main focus being the T20 World Cup 2026.

Hardik played a key role in India’s victory in 2024 and is expected to be one of the key players in the Indian team once again. He was included in the 5-match T20I series leading up to the World Cup. The Men in Blue will begin their campaign as champions on February 7.

However, the most important topic of discussion continues to be the omission of Muhammed Shami. Despite widespread speculation that he would return after his long-term injury, Shami was not included in the 15-man squad. This decision suggests that the selectors are taking a cautious approach to the experienced pacer and are likely aiming to get him back to full fitness ahead of the T20 World Cup or future Test matches.

India’s ODI Team against New Zealand: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Also read| Mohammed Siraj and Shreyas Iyer return as India names 15-man squad for New Zealand ODIs; Mohammed Shami kidnaps