IND v NZ: Predicted India squad for November ODI series in Auckland

A predicted India squad for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand has been outlined ahead of the first game at Eden Park in Auckland, scheduled for November 4, 2026, as part of a tour that begins on October 22. The tour comprises five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, with the T20Is first, followed by the ODIs and then the Tests.

With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 almost a year away, the Indian team management is said to be searching for the optimal combination ahead of the tournament; India lost the 2023 World Cup final to Australia and have not lifted the trophy for 16 years. India failed to win any ODIs in their last two away series in New Zealand, with the hosts claiming those series 3–0 and 1–0 respectively, and New Zealand also beat India at home in January 2026, winning that series 2–1.

India enter the New Zealand ODIs on the back of a 2–1 series win over the West Indies, although that squad was missing several key players. The Shubman Gill-led side is expected to include established names such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel also regarded as near-certainties for selection.

The publication’s predicted 15-player ODI squad reads: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been named in India’s T20I squad for the tour and is noted as a possible returnee to the ODI lineup.

Mohammed Shami is also mentioned as a potential comeback candidate and is reported to have been performing well for his domestic team. The piece adds that some players who featured in the West Indies ODI series might be left out of the New Zealand squad.

There are reports India may name a different squad for the final two ODIs because of the short gap between the last ODI and the Test series. The five-match bilateral ODI series will begin on November 4, 2026.