Bumrah, Hardik Likely to be Rested for New Zealand ODIs

In a strategic move with the T20 World Cup in sight, India is likely to rest pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand. However, both key players are expected to return for the subsequent five-match T20I series, which is a crucial part of the team’s World Cup preparation.

The ODI series is scheduled for January 11 (Baroda), 14 (Rajkot), and 18 (Indore), while the T20Is follow from January 21 to 31 across five venues. The decision underscores the management’s focus on managing the workload of two of India’s most valuable assets in the shortest format. Bumrah hasn’t played an ODI since the 2023 World Cup final, and Pandya last featured in the 50-over format during the Champions Trophy final in March 2025.

While being rested from the ODIs, Pandya is expected to meet the BCCI’s mandatory domestic cricket requirement by playing for Baroda in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He is likely to feature in two of their last three league games on January 3, 6, or 8 in Rajkot.

In other domestic cricket news, Virat Kohli is confirmed to return for Delhi’s penultimate Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Railways on January 6 in Alur, before joining the Indian squad for the ODIs. Rohit Sharma, having already played two games for Mumbai, has completed his domestic stint and will next be seen in the national colours.

There is also a positive update on Shreyas Iyer’s fitness. The middle-order batter, recovering from spleen surgery, is reportedly aiming to play Mumbai’s game against Maharashtra on January 3 in Jaipur to test his match readiness ahead of national selection.

                                               

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