Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj to leave India ODI squad; three players drafted for final two matches
Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj will depart India’s ODI squad after the first three matches of the five-match series against New Zealand, ahead of the fourth and fifth ODIs scheduled at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on November 13 and 15, with Tilak Varma, Yash Thakur and Kumar Kushagra added and Shreyas Iyer set to captain the last two games.
India lead the series 2-0 after a rain-affected third ODI in Hamilton. The three departing players were only selected for the opening trio of ODIs and will travel to Wellington to prepare for the two-match Test series that starts on November 19 at the Basin Reserve.
Shubman Gill captained India in the first three ODIs and will not feature in the remaining two matches; Gill is slated to captain India in the upcoming Test series. Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul and fast bowler Anshul Kamboj will also join the Test preparations, with Rahul described as expected to play an important role and Kamboj given time to prepare for the longer format.
India have brought Tilak Varma, Yash Thakur and Kumar Kushagra into the squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs. Tilak last appeared in an ODI against South Africa in December 2025, while Yash Thakur and Kumar Kushagra have received their first ODI call-ups.
With Gill absent for the final two matches, Shreyas Iyer will captain India in the fourth and fifth ODIs; Iyer is the full-time captain of India’s T20I team and this will be his first time leading the senior side in ODIs. India will look to maintain their 2-0 lead under Iyer’s captaincy and win the series.
The final two ODIs provide the team management an opportunity to test bench strength ahead of the World Cup, and give returning and newly called-up players match exposure in the format.
India’s fourth and fifth ODIs are scheduled for November 13 and 15 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, after which the two-match Test series begins on November 19 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.