Jasprit Bumrah unlikely for India's five ODIs in New Zealand, to play India A red-ball match

Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to feature in India’s five-match ODI series in New Zealand, which is scheduled to begin on November 4, 2026, according to a report in The Times of India. The decision forms part of workload planning ahead of India’s two-Test tour, with the first Test set to start in Wellington on November 19.

The India tour of New Zealand comprises five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests, and team management has been planning player workloads with the World Test Championship a stated priority. The focus on red-ball readiness has influenced selection and rotation considerations for key fast bowlers.

The Times of India report states that Bumrah is fully fit but that the Indian management prefers he skip the ODI series to concentrate on Test preparations. That approach is described as a workload-management measure intended to keep him fresh for multi-day cricket.

Rather than joining the ODI squad, Bumrah is expected to play the third and final multi-day match between India A and New Zealand A from November 7 to 10, which will provide red-ball match practice ahead of the first Test. His participation in that game is presented as preparation for the conditions and match readiness.

Bumrah has already begun red-ball preparations in Ahmedabad and is expected to report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru later this month before travelling to New Zealand. Those steps form part of his build-up to the multi-day matches on the tour.

Indian management is also factoring in Bumrah’s availability for a five-match Test series against Australia early next year, and intends to avoid placing excessive workload on him across formats. The planning is being guided by concerns about maintaining his fitness for upcoming Test assignments.

Bumrah’s last red-ball appearance came in India’s second Test against South Africa in Guwahati in November 2025, after which he missed India’s next red-ball assignment because of a knee injury.

As a result, Bumrah is likely to miss the five ODIs beginning November 4 and is expected to feature for India A in the November 7-10 multi-day match before India’s first Test against New Zealand in Wellington on November 19.