New Delhi, Jan 2: The spotlight will be on Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj as selectors convene on Saturday to finalize a 15-member Indian ODI squad for a three-match series against New Zealand, commencing January 11 in Vadodara. While major changes are not anticipated from the lineup that recently triumphed over South Africa, the Ajit Agarkar-led committee may address two pressing concerns.
Firstly, Pant’s role as the second wicketkeeper could be under scrutiny, especially with Ishan Kishan demonstrating strong performances in the middle order for Jharkhand and Dhruv Chand Jurel recently scoring a notable ‘Daddy Hundred’ for Uttar Pradesh. Agarkar, alongside head coach Gautam Gambhir, has favored team combinations in their selections, opting for keepers who can open in T20s like Sanju Samson and Kishan. In ODIs, however, the keeper is typically expected to bat in the middle order, around positions No. 5 or 6.
It’s worth noting that Pant has only participated in one ODI since Gambhir took over as head coach, accumulating just 31 ODIs in eight years with an average below 35-figures that do not truly reflect his capabilities. While his critics may argue otherwise, many would still concede that Pant holds an advantage over Kishan and Jurel in terms of impact. Nonetheless, Pant’s recent shot selection during the unfortunate loss in the Guwahati Test against South Africa has raised concerns among coaching staff and selectors alike. Dropping him without a fair chance could lead to further complications.
The second point of discussion centers on the fast bowlers selected for the series. With Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah likely to be rested in light of the upcoming T20 World Cup, it will be intriguing to see if selectors give breaks to pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, who both participated in the recent series against South Africa. Siraj, previously omitted from the Champions Trophy due to conditions, played in an earlier series against Australia but was skipped for the South Africa series. Despite not featuring in the first four rounds of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, he may play for Hyderabad in the closing rounds. His exclusion from the ODI setup after being a regular until the 2023 World Cup is perplexing.
In contrast, Mohammed Shami continues to play for Bengal across formats, although there’s a prevailing belief that he may have passed his peak in international cricket. Communication issues between Shami and the selection committee have added to the uncertainty. Among the standout performers in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, genuine contenders include Sarfaraz Khan for the number four slot and Devdutt Padikkal for the opener role. However, with Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal already secure in the lineup, finding space for Padikkal may prove difficult. Although Sarfaraz has excelled in domestic formats, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s impressive century against South Africa has positioned him ahead in the pecking order.
Ultimately, any debates surrounding selections will become trivial if the five-member committee opts to maintain the status quo.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/01/03/new-zealand-series-md-siraj-pants-odi-future-in-focus/
Category: SPORTS
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Publish Date: 2026-01-03 03:59:00
