India will travel to New Zealand for five T20Is, five ODIs, and two Tests, and the BCCI recently announced a split squad for the ODI series. The ODI series will be played with the first game on November 4 in Auckland, the second on November 7 in Wellington, the third game on November 10 in Hamilton, and the fourth and fifth games will be played in Mount Maunganui on November 13 and 15.
There will be four players from the Indian squad leaving to prepare for the two-Test series, with Shreyas Iyer taking over the captaincy from Shubman Gill. Today, let’s see which four players will join the Indian squad for the last two ODIs.
Here are the 4 Indian players who join the squad for 4th and 5th NZ vs IND ODIs:
- Kumar Kushagra
Kumar Kushagra has been rewarded with his maiden India call-up in ODIs, thanks to two centuries for the East Zone and India. A respectively in domestic red-ball cricket. Kushagra will be the second wicketkeeper in the squad, as Ishan Kishan will take the gloves from KL Rahul for the last two ODIs. Kushagra has a good record in List-A with 1387 runs in 40 games, with 2 centuries and 10 fifties at an average of 51.37. Kushagra might not get any game, but he has invaluable experience.
- Yash Thakur
Yash Thakur, who made his India T20I debut in Zimbabwe, has been named in the India ODI squad as well for the last two games in New Zealand. He will replace Prasidh Krishna in the Indian squad for the last two ODIs, as the pace attack will be led by Mohammed Siraj. Thakur has taken 97 wickets in 60 List-A games with best bowling figures of 5/53.
- Auqib Nabi
Auqib Nabi has survived his ODI debut against the West Indies, and while it was expected that he might make it into the Indian Test squad, he was included in the Indian ODI squad for the last two games. He will replace Nitish Kumar Reddy in the Indian ODI squad. Nabi has been chosen for his bowling and ability to contribute with the bat as well.
- Tilak Varma
India’s T20I vice-captain Tilak Varma will replace Shubman Gill in the Indian ODI squad for the last two games in New Zealand. Tilak Varma has played 5 ODIs but managed only 68 runs with one fifty to his name. But he has a solid List-A record with 2142 runs in 52 games at an average of 47.60 with 6 centuries and 14 fifties. Tilak Varma will be looking to max out these opportunities to stake a claim for the ICC World Cup 2027.
