India’s selectors have reportedly decided to split captaincy duties between Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer for the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand. Gill will lead India in the first three matches, while Iyer will take charge for the final two ODIs. The selection committee has also announced a 16-member Test squad for the tour, which will feature white-ball and red-ball cricket across multiple venues. The ODI series, scheduled from November 4 to November 15, will be an important opportunity for India to assess their combinations ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The conditions in New Zealand, where swing and bounce can challenge visiting batters, will provide a valuable test for the Indian squad. Senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are included in the ODI plans alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav.
For the first three matches, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan will be the wicketkeeping options, with Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna also included, subject to fitness clearance. For the fourth and fifth ODIs, Kumar Kushagra, Tilak Varma, Auqib Nabi and Yash Thakur are set to join the squad. They will replace Gill, Rahul, Kamboj and Krishna, while Ishan Kishan will take over as vice-captain under Iyer.
ALSO READ: Abhishek Nayar Backs Kuldeep Yadav’s Inclusion, Offers Support For India’s T20I Decider
The tour will also feature two Test matches, which could significantly affect the ICC World Test Championship standings. Gill will captain the Test side, with KL Rahul serving as vice-captain.
🚨 News 🚨
#TeamIndia’s ODI and Test squads for New Zealand tour announced 📝
Captain Shubman Gill will lead the side for the first 3️⃣ ODIs, before Shreyas Iyer takes charge for the last 2️⃣ matches.
More details ▶️ https://t.co/npwxUYlb1N
#NZvIND https://t.co/3ckm7ixgEN
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 16, 2026
🏮INDIA’S ODI TEAM ANNOUNCED – SHREYAS IYER IS CAPTAIN 🤯
– First three match Shubman gill will be captain after that shreyas iyer will be captain
– Ruturaj gaikwad will play in last two ODI match
– Kumar Kushagra will play as wicket keeper in plarof kl rahul in last 2 ODI match with Ishan kishan
– Rohit sharma & Virat Kohli is available with full of fitness
So team is looking good against New Zealand series and hope Gautam Gambhir will manage properly
— VK (@Aur_vicky) October 16, 2026
Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar return to the Test setup. They will join Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, wicketkeepers Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. Pant’s inclusion remains subject to fitness.
The tour begins with five T20Is, starting in Christchurch on October 22, followed by matches in Christchurch on October 24, Wellington on October 27, Auckland on October 30 and Hamilton on November 1.
ALSO READ: Kavya Maran and Anirudh Wedding: Greece Ceremony Set For November 11, 2026
The ODI leg starts in Auckland on November 4, before moving to Wellington on November 7, Hamilton on November 10 and Mount Maunganui for the final two matches on November 13 and 15. The Test series will conclude India’s tour, with the first match scheduled in Wellington from November 19 to 23 and the second in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1, 2026. With multiple formats and leadership changes, the tour will offer India an important opportunity to prepare for future international challenges.
