IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer: The three-match ODI series between India and New Zealand will start on Wednesday, January 18 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Both teams are coming off wins in their last ODI series. India thrashed Sri Lanka 3-0 at home, while New Zealand registered a 2-1 win over Pakistan. However, for India, just ahead of the first ODI, star batter Shreyas Iyer sustained a back injury.
It has resulted in the batter being ruled out of the upcoming three-ODI series against New Zealand. Iyer, who is in phenomenal form, is an important player in India‘s middle order. He was the highest run-scorer for India in ODIs and in all three formats in 2022. His absence will surely be missed by the team. Meanwhile, KL Rahul and Axar Patel are also not part of the series due to their personal commitments, which has left a big gap in the Indian middle order against New Zealand.
IND vs NZ: BCCI announced the replacement of Shreyas Iyer
On Tuesday, the BCCI announced that Shreyas Iyer has sustained a back injury and will not be available for the ODI series. They also confirmed that the star batter will report to the NCA for his rehab process. Meanwhile, the BCCI named Rajat Patidar as his replacement in the team. He will join the team and start practising. Patidar, who has had some good numbers for India in the domestic circuit and also for the RCB, has gotten his maiden call.
And with no Rahul, Iyer, or Axar in the middle order, India might give chances to Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Washington Sundar. On the other hand, it will be interesting to know whether Patidar will make the playing XI or not. The ODI series will conclude on Tuesday, January 24. Then both teams will lock horns in three T20Is starting on January 27.
India’s updated ODI squad for NZ series: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Umran Malik.