Iyer to lead in last two New Zealand ODIs, Kushagra earns maiden call-up
Iyer will be the vice-captain for the first three ODIs before taking over captaincy for the fourth and fifth matches
Shreyas Iyer has returned as India's ODI vice-captain for the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand, having missed the preceding ODI series against the West Indies due to India's T20I commitments during the Asian Games.
Iyer will be the vice-captain for the first three ODIs before taking over the captaincy for the fourth and fifth matches, with Ishan Kishan appointed his deputy for the final two games. This allows Shubman Gill, the regular ODI skipper and Test captain, to focus on preparing for the two-match Test series, part of the World Test Championship cycle, which follows the ODIs.
Prasidh Krishna also returns to the ODI squad for the first three matches, but his availability is subject to fitness. He sustained a left hamstring injury during the second ODI against the West Indies and was replaced by Anshul Kamboj. Meanwhile, Kamboj has also been named in the squad for the first three New Zealand ODIs.
India have also made changes to their squad for the latter half of the series, with Tilak Varma and Kumar Kushagra coming into the 16-member squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs. Prasidh and Kamboj, who are also part of the Test team, are among those not included in the squad for the final two matches. Auqib Nabi, meanwhile, has been included in the squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli feature in both squads, alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav. Incidentally, Reddy, Kuldeep and Siraj are also part of the Test squad but have been retained for the last two matches. KL Rahul has been named as the wicketkeeper for the first three matches, while Kishan will take over the role for the final two ODIs, with the former set to join the Test preparations.
The ODI series begins on November 4, following India's five-match T20I series. The first ODI will be played in Auckland, while the second game will be held in Wellington on November 7. Hamilton will host the third match on November 10, while the last two ODIs will be played in Mount Maunganui on November 13 and 15. The Test series begins on November 19.
