Kishan to Replace Pant, Gill Leads as Captain in India vs New Zealand ODIs

Shubman Gill is poised to take up the role of captain for India’s men’s ODI team once again, while vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is expected to be absent as the national senior selection committee decides on the squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand.

The selection panel plans to convene online on Saturday. Sportstar has learned that Gill, who was absent from the ODI series against South Africa in November due to a neck spasm sustained during the opening Test, will participate in the first official selection committee meeting of the year.

Gill’s re-entry is anticipated to lead to Dhruv Jurel, brought in as a reserve batsman for the South Africa series, stepping aside for the opener. Shreyas, out since an abdominal injury in Australia in October, hoped to return for the New Zealand ODIs, but delays in his recovery mean he has yet to receive medical clearance from the Centre of Excellence.

Another potential adjustment is Ishan Kishan’s inclusion in place of Rishabh Pant as the reserve wicketkeeper-batter. Kishan has already been called up for India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand later this month, as well as the T20 World Cup set to begin next month.

The selection committee believes that Kishan, who proved his mettle in the 50-over format during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, should have ample time to reintegrate into the Indian team after a two-year hiatus.

There is also a viewpoint within the committee favoring giving Pant, a senior player, an opportunity before dropping him. However, some team management and selectors have voiced concerns over Pant’s struggle to consistently curb his instincts in shorter formats. Consequently, seeing Kishan replace Pant—his fellow player since India’s Under-19 World Cup campaign in 2016—wouldn’t be surprising.

Changes in the bowling lineup are unlikely, as both the spin and pace units have performed reliably across the six ODIs played during the ongoing home season.

Published on Jan 02, 2026.