Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma returns, Gill-Iyer back from injury

Shubman Gill-led India will face Michael Bracewell-led New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara, on Sunday, January 11, 2026.

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New Delhi: Shubman Gill-led India will face Michael Bracewell-led New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara, on Sunday, January 11, 2026. The match will mark the return of vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and captain Shubman Gill, both of whom missed the ODI series against South Africa due to injuries, while senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja are back in India’s 50-over setup.

Keeping the upcoming T20 World Cup in mind, the selectors have chosen to carefully manage workloads, resting Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for the ODI series. Gill’s comeback as captain, combined with the return of senior stalwarts Rohit and Kohli, sets the stage for India to field a strong and well-balanced lineup.

Gill and Rohit will aim to provide India with a solid start

Oening duo of skipper Shubman Gill and former captain Rohit Sharma will aim to provide India with a solid start, while also finding their rhythm with the bat individually. Meanwhile, star batter Virat Kohli will look to carry his impressive form which he displayed in all three matches against South Africa and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Kohli will be keen to draw support from Shreyas Iyer who will look for a solid start after recovering from injury, while KL Rahul, a batter known for his reliability and composure during the final over will aim to provide a solid finish

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India might feature three specialist pacers, two spinners

Talking about the bowling department, India are expected to opt for a well-rounded combination featuring three specialist pacers, two spinners, and one fast-bowling all-rounder.

The pace attack will be led by Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and experienced campaigner Mohammed Siraj. They will be supported by Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has been picked as Hardik Pandya’s replacement. Pandya is set to return for the T20I leg of the tour ahead of the T20 World Cup.

In the spin department, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav will shoulder the responsibility and will be hoping for dry conditions to extract maximum assistance from the surface.

India’s Predicted Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Redy, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj