KL Rahul omitted from India’s XI for fourth ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval

KL Rahul will not play in the fourth ODI between India and New Zealand at Bay Oval on November 13. Ishan Kishan will keep the wickets and Shreyas Iyer will captain India in the match.

The third ODI between the sides was abandoned without a ball being bowled, leaving New Zealand unable to win the series after losing the first two matches and with a maximum of levelling the contest. New Zealand have not suffered defeat in a bilateral ODI series at home since 2019, and India arrive with a chance to beat the Kiwis in an away ODI series. Weather forecasts for the fourth match are favourable, with no sign of rain unlike in the first three games.

India have selected a top-heavy batting line-up for the fourth game, while New Zealand have made a few changes to their playing XI. Team balance and personnel adjustments have produced a different look for both sides compared with earlier matches in the series.

KL Rahul, aged 34, has been an important link in India’s middle order and has bailed India out on several occasions; in the second ODI in Wellington he scored an unbeaten 26 off 38 balls before that game was called off. At the time of the second-match abandonment India were ahead by four runs and were awarded the win by the DLS method.

Rahul has been released from the ODI squad to join the Indian Test team. He will link up with the Test camp ahead of the next series.

Key players from both sides are absent for the remaining ODIs, including KL Rahul and Indian captain Shubman Gill; India and New Zealand will next meet in a two-match Test series starting on November 19.