The BCCI selection committee in all probability will rest Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting next month. New Zealand will tour India for three ODIs and five T20Is in January 2026. The series will start with the one-dayers with the games to be played in Baroda (January 11), Rajkot (January 14) and Indore (January 18).
According to a report in Cricbuzz, the decision to rest both Bumrah and Pandya came, keeping in mind the subsequent T20I series and the World Cup in February. Crucial members of the Indian T20I side, resting Bumrah and Pandya in ODIs will keep them fresh for the rigorous one month and half of T20 cricket.
The five T20Is between India and New Zealand will be played in Nagpur (January 21), Raipur (January 23), Guwahati (January 25), Visakhapatnam (January 28) and Thiruvananthapuram (January 31). The last time Pandya played an ODI for India was in the ICC Champions Trophy final in March.
Since then, fitness issues kept Pandya out of the Indian ODI side. Bumrah's last ODI for India came two years back during the 2023 ODI World Cup final. The report also stated that Pandya will play two of Baroda's last three group games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) before joining the Indian team for the New Zealand T20Is.
Virat Kohli to another match for Delhi in VHT
On the other hand, Virat Kohli, who played for Delhi in their first two Vijay Hazare Trophy games, will once again turn up for his state side before joining the Indian camp. The former Indian captain had a huge impact on Delhi side with a hundred and a half-century as Delhi won both the games.
Kohli will turn up for Delhi in their penultimate league game against Railways at the KSCA ground in Alur on January 6. Following that game, Kohli will join the Indian team for the ODI series against New Zealand.
Will Rohit Sharma play anymore VHT matches?
Meanwhile, unlike Kohli, Rohit Sharma will not play anymore domestic matches for Mumbai. Rohit played two matches for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring a hundred against Sikkim. The report also added that Rohit is done with his domestic duties for the season, confirmed Mumbai Cricket Association.
Yashasvi Jaiswal will join the Mumbai squad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and is expected to play couple of matches before joining the Indian squad, set to assemble in Baroda in January 7.
