NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill will be back as India’s captain in this month’s three One-day Internationals against New Zealand, while batsman Shreyas Iyer is expected to return from a two-month injury layoff subject to a fitness clearance, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Saturday.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah have not been named in the 15-man squad for the 50-over matches at home. The ODI series begins in Vadodara on Jan 11 before games in Rajkot (Jan 14) and Indore (Jan 18).

Gill, who injured his foot in training last month, has been excluded from India’s squad for the T20 World Cup on home soil. He is expected to play in domestic cricket next week before resuming his duties as India’s 50-over captain.

Iyer will be available provided BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) declares him fit to play. He has been undergoing rehabilitation after suffering a spleen injury in October, the BCCI said in a statement.

“Hardik Pandya has not been cleared by the BCCI’s CoE to bowl 10 overs in a match, and considering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to follow, his workload is being managed,” the statement added.

India will play five T20 Internationals against New Zealand later this month, before starting their T20 World Cup campaign with a group fixture against the US on Feb 7.

Squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2026