Anshul Kamboj released from India squad, misses 4th NZ v IND ODI at Bay Oval on November 13

Anshul Kamboj will not feature in the fourth ODI between India and New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on November 13 after being released from India’s ODI squad to prepare for the upcoming Test series; he travelled to Wellington following the third ODI in Hamilton alongside Shubman Gill and KL Rahul.

India have made three changes to their playing XI for the fourth ODI, with Shreyas Iyer captaining the side in Gill’s absence and Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kuldeep Yadav returning to the XI. Kamboj, Gill and Rahul left the ODI group after the third match on November 10 to join Test preparations. The first Test of the two-match series is scheduled to begin on November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Kamboj’s omission from the fourth ODI is not performance-related: the right-arm pacer claimed four wickets across his first two appearances on the New Zealand tour. He took 2/22 in the opening ODI at Eden Park and was named Player of the Match, then recorded 2/25 in the second game.

Kuldeep Yadav has been named as Kamboj’s replacement for the fourth ODI at Bay Oval and will bolster India’s bowling options. Separately, Ishan Kishan has been selected as the wicketkeeper-batter in place of KL Rahul for the match.

India enter the fourth match holding a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, while New Zealand require a victory to keep alive the possibility of levelling the contest. The team changes and player releases follow India’s 2-0 advantage after three fixtures.

Kamboj’s release is intended to provide him with preparation time for the two Tests against New Zealand; the Test series opens on November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.