Selection preview: Shreyas racing against time for NZ ODIs; Will Shami get India recall?
SOURCE:Times of India|BY:GAURAV GUPTA
India’s selectors face key decisions ahead of the New Zealand ODI series, with Shreyas Iyer racing to regain fitness, uncertainty surrounding Rishabh Pant’s spot, and Mohammed Shami pushing for a comeback. With workload management and long-term planning in mind, the squad selection could shape India’s white-ball roadmap ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami (AP | PTI)
Mumbai: Having recovered from a serious abdominal injury, India’s ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is racing against time to make a comeback into the ODI set-up when the national selection committee, led by former India pacer Ajit Agarkar, picks the team for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand at home.The series will begin in Vadodara on January 11, with the next two matches being played in Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18. It remains to be seen if Iyer is picked under the ‘subject to fitness’ clause, just like India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill was for the home five-match T20I series against South Africa in December after undergoing rehabilitation for a neck injury. In fact, if Iyer makes the cut, the series could see both India’s ODI captain and vice-captain return to the fold after missing the previous series against South Africa due to injuries.
Why Mohammed Shami needs to return in India colours before World Cup
Gill, who is set to feature in the next two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Punjab along with India pacer Arshdeep Singh, is expected to return to the ODI fold after missing the South Africa series due to injury.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!TOI has learnt that Iyer underwent a match simulation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Friday and will go through another on January 5 before obtaining a ‘Return to Play’ certificate from the medical team.
The 31-year-old could turn out for Mumbai in their final Vijay Hazare Trophy match in Jaipur on January 8 before joining the Indian team in Vadodara for the first ODI.“Shreyas reported to the Centre of Excellence on December 25. Since his arrival, he has shown significant improvement in strength and conditioning and has successfully completed four high-intensity skill sessions encompassing both batting and fielding.
Based on his current physical status and achievement of rehabilitation milestones, he undertook a match-simulation session on January 2 and will undertake another on January 5 before obtaining clearance for white-ball formats,” a BCCI source told TOI.
Shreyas Iyer of India looks on from the team bench before game three of the One Day International series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on October 25, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ayush Kumar/Getty Images)
Iyer last featured in the ODI series against Australia in October, where he suffered a severe spleen injury during the third and final match in Sydney, forcing hospitalisation.
The injury ruled him out of the ODI series against South Africa at home, as well as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai.In his absence, Ruturaj Gaikwad was tried at No. 4 and repaid the faith with an 83-ball 105 against South Africa in the second ODI at Raipur.
Will Pant be dropped without a chance?
The selection of India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against a second-string New Zealand side just before the T20 World Cup would ordinarily attract limited attention.
However, the ‘virtual’ selection meeting of Agarkar & Co has gained significance amid speculation that India’s Test vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant could be dropped despite not having played a single ODI in the last 18 months.
Bengaluru: Delhi's captain Rishabh Pant plays a shot during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 cricket match between Gujarat and Delhi, at BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground, in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)(PTI12_26_2025_000117B)
Pant’s form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has been patchy, with 121 runs in four matches at an average of 30.25, including one fifty. Still, dropping him even as the second wicketkeeper could be considered harsh, given that he last played an ODI on August 7, 2024, against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
For over a year, Pant has warmed the bench in ODIs, with KL Rahul the first-choice wicketkeeper for the 2025 Champions Trophy and the recent home series against South Africa.
Poll
Should Shreyas Iyer be included in the ODI team despite his recent injury?
Yes, he should play.No, he needs more recovery time.
If Pant is omitted, selectors may consider in-form Dhruv Jurel, who has scored 307 runs in three matches at an average of 153.50, including an unbeaten 160 off 101 balls against Baroda. There is also a strong case for recalling Ishan Kishan, who recently returned to India’s T20I side after topping the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy run charts with 517 runs at 57.44, including two hundreds.
Shami in line for a comeback?
With workload management in mind, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are likely to be rested for the New Zealand series. In their absence, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami could stage a comeback. Shami was India’s standout bowler in the last two ODI World Cups, claiming 14 wickets in four matches in 2019 and finishing as the leading wicket-taker in 2023 with 24 wickets in seven games.
India's pacer Mohammed Shami engages in a discussion with Bengal team members during a training session at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Stadium, in Agartala, Tripura. (PTI Photo)(PTI11_04_2025_000253B)
Since returning from ankle and knee issues, Shami has impressed in domestic cricket, taking 20 wickets in four Ranji matches this season, along with strong returns in SMAT and VHT. While selector Agarkar had earlier insisted Shami was not fit, relations have improved, with selector RP Singh holding discussions with the pacer during a Ranji match in Kolkata.Devdutt Padikkal’s name may also come up for discussion after his prolific Vijay Hazare Trophy run, but with Shubman Gill returning and Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal in form, the Karnataka opener may have to wait.
