India’s ODI squad announcement for the upcoming three match ODI series against New Zealand wasn’t an unfamiliar squad but still had a couple surprises. Continuity at the top but as your eyes searched lower down the order in the squad list, you realise that there was an unfortunate but complicated story underneath.
While India’s beloved Mohammed Siraj’s return to the squad felt like a restoration of balance and a beacon of hope for a bowler who had been missing out on white-ball action for reasons unknown, Mohammed Shami being ignored from the setup landed as a dull thud among fans. Despite numbers, despite fitness, as fans awaited to see their favourite old-school yet dangerously efficient fast bowler, disappointment awaited.
The BCCI named a 15-member squad for the series that is only a week away. On January 11th, Shubman Gill will make his comeback as India’s ODI captain after missing out on the ODI series against South Africa due to an injury. The series also marks the return of Shreyas Iyer as vice captain, but as the asterisk next to his name suggests, his inclusion in the Playing XI will be subject to his fitness.
Modern-day greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will surely bring the buzz. According to RevSportz’s reports, Rishabh Pant kept his place in the XI after Shubman Gill and the team management agreed that he should not be dropped without being given sufficient game-time. While one of India’s biggest superstars of the white-ball setup, Hardik Pandya, was rested ahead of the home T20 World Cup citing workload management.
From a bowling perspective, the headline was the return of Siraj, which adds bite and familiarity to an attack that also features Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna. For Siraj, this inclusion will have more to do with assurance than redemption, as it seems clear that the management looks at him as a vital cog in their white-ball machinery.
To the disappointment of Indian cricket fans, the same confidence was not extended to Shami, whose domestic form has been difficult to ignore. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, he has picked up 16 wickets in seven games including two four-wicket hauls. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy so far, he has taken eight wickets in four innings at an economy of 5.53. His Ranji Trophy returns are even more striking: 20 wickets in seven innings at a miserly economy of 2.55, with multiple four and five-wicket hauls so far. And yet, he did not make the cut. More tellingly, it was learnt (according to RevSportz’s reports) that his name was not even discussed in the selection committee. It clearly suggests that India has already moved beyond a bowler who has delivered repeatedly on the biggest stages.
For Siraj, the New Zealand series will offer a chance to cement his place. For Shami, it is a reminder that form does not always guarantee a conversation at the top of the table.
