These days, before the commencement of any ODI series involving India, the buzz is mainly restricted to the participation of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. So much so that before any India game, almost every move of the star duo is scrutinised. However, as the Indian selectors indulge in some brainstorming to pick the squad for the New Zealand series, there are enough subplots to consider. One of them is the fast-bowling cartel, especially with Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya all set to be rested. At RevSportz, we analyse India’s options.
Harshit Rana: This inexperienced cricketer has been trolled incessantly on social media platforms. However, the 24-year-old seamer has done fairly well in his short career so far, taking 20 ODI wickets at an average of 25. More importantly, in the recent India–South Africa ODI series, he showcased the ability to employ pace-off deliveries pitched back of a length. Especially in the Raipur ODI, when both sides accumulated over 350 runs, this defensive weapon gave him a bit of a buffer.
Add to it a fair burst of pace, hit-the-deck skills, and some power-hitting down the order, and you can see why the selectors have invested in Harshit.
Prasidh Krishna: Where is Prasidh in the current pecking order? Perhaps Gautam Gambhir’s thoughts after the final ODI against South Africa give us a hint. While answering a question related to India’s inexperienced pacers, he took the names of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit. The one name missing was Prasidh. As it turned out, in that Vizag ODI, Prasidh’s four-for did play a role in India mounting a comeback.
Probably there wasn’t any hidden meaning behind Gambhir’s reply. Yet, you wonder whether Prasidh could miss out on selection for the New Zealand ODIs. The simple reason is his economy rate of 6.02. That Prasidh is a wicket-taker is a foregone conclusion – he has the second-best strike-rate among Indian pacers with at least 30 ODI scalps. Even in the India–South Africa ODIs, he was the second-highest wicket-taker, but those seven wickets came at an economy rate of 7.80. His inability to bowl a potent slower ball could be one of the reasons for his high economy rate in limited-overs cricket.
Mohammed Siraj: If Prasidh misses out, then his Gujarat Titans teammate, Siraj, could secure a place. In fact, Siraj bowled reasonably well during the ODIs in Australia, although he didn’t have the wickets to show for it. In terms of understanding his game and bowling smarts, Siraj seems to be at the peak of his prowess. In a nutshell, these days he seems to know when to swing the ball, when to employ his wobble-seam delivery, or when to usher in the short ball. His ODI record of 73 wickets at 24.67 also makes for good reading.
Arshdeep Singh: If the selectors don’t have any plans to rest the left-arm quick ahead of the T20 World Cup, then he is a guaranteed starter. In limited-overs cricket, the left-arm, over-the-wicket angle of a pace bowler is an asset. The angle itself helps the left-armer trouble right-handers. In summary, it isn’t easy for a right-hander to line up the over-the-wicket angle and hit through the line.
Over a period of time, Arshdeep has also showcased that he is quite adept at bowling from round the wicket. The Punjab pacer has a sound temperament, along with the skills to find movement both in the air and off the deck.
Mohammed Shami: Plenty of eyes will also be on whether this veteran quick makes it into the squad. There is absolutely no doubt about his pedigree. The question marks surrounding Shami were regarding his fitness. There were also whispers about him losing a hint of nip.
Currently, Shami has eight wickets at 23.75 in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has also put in some fine performances in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy. From Shami’s point of view, if he doesn’t make it into this squad, with a couple of seniors set to be rested, then it is difficult to see him returning to the Indian set-up.
Shivam Dube: With Hardik Pandya set to be rested, Dube might just pip Nitish Reddy in the pecking order for the seam-bowling all-rounder’s slot. His ability to hit higher up on the bat with a touch of extra bounce could be his USP.
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