Team Indian management may ask Jasprit Bumrah may be asked to focus on red-ball leg of New Zealand tour which begins next month
Published: October 15, 2026, 2:17 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/sports/cricket/big-blow-for-shubman-gill-team-india-ahead-of-new-zealand-odi-series-jasprit-bumrah-unlikely-to-be-selected-8536290/
Team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah(Photo: IANS)
IND vs NZ 2026 ODI: The squad for the five-match ODI series between India and New Zealand is yet to be announced but a major concern for Shubman Gill’s Team India has already emergedGill had raised concerns about the Indian bowling attack in the absence of spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the ODI series against West Indies where they conceded 400 and 350 runs in the last two games.
It has now emerged that Bumrah might well be rested for the ODI series against New Zealand which is set to begin in Auckland on November 4According to a report in TOI website, the Indian team think tank want the Mumbai Indians speedster to focus on red-ball leg of the tour which features two Test matches in Wellington and Christchurch next month.
The two-match Test series against New Zealand becomes absolutely critical for Team India as they only have a 2 per cent chance of qualifying for the World Test Championships (WTC) 2025-27 final next yearIndia must win the two Tests against New Zealand and also win all five Tests at home against Australia if they hope to have an outside chance of reaching the final.
NO JASPRIT BUMRAH IN NEW ZEALAND ODI SERIES
– Bumrah is unlikely to play the 5-match ODI series against NZ despite being fully fit.
– Team management wants him to play one India A match before the Test series.
– BCCI wants to manage his workload and keep him fresh for the crucial Test matches(TOI)
— Sam (@cricsam02) October 15, 2026
The Indian team management want Bumrah to play in the India ‘A’ fixture against New Zealand which starts on November 6 to get him prepped up for first Test which begins in Wellington on November 19“Bumrah is completely fit, but for a long tour, it’s important to prioritiseThe Test series is very important, so there’s no point making Bumrah slog it out in the ODIs and then suddenly shift focus to red-ball cricketHe is the leader of the bowling pack, and a fresh and ready Bumrah is the priority now,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI website.
Earlier this year, Bumrah turned out in three-match ODI series against England but a knee injury forced him to miss the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a knee injury“The plan is not just for New Zealand, but discussions are also happening for the BGT next yearThere is no point wasting Bumrah for inconsequential bilateral seriesRight now, the WTC is the focus, and all energies will be directed planning for that,” BCCI source told TOI.
Bumrah, who was retained for Rs 18 crore by Nita Ambani’s MI, has claimed 234 wickets in Test cricket at an average of 19.79He also has 151 wickets in 91 ODIs at an average of 23.74.
