India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and star all-rounder Hardik Pandya are unlikely to feature in the upcoming three-ODI series against New Zealand, Cricbuzz reported.
However, both of them are expected to return for the five T20Is against the Kiwis that follows the 50-over series.
While the three ODIs will be played in Baroda (January 11), Rajkot (January 14) and Indore (January 18), the five T20Is will be hosted by Nagpur (January 21), Raipur (January 23), Guwahati (January 25), Visakhapatnam (January 28) and Thiruvananthapuram (January 31).
According to the report, Bumrah and Hardik won’t be considered for the ODI matches so that they can remain fresh for the more important T20 fixtures, particularly the T20 World Cup 2026. The ODI squad is likely to be announced in the first week of January.
“It is understood that the team management has decided that the two players, precious in no small measure in India's T20 World Cup defence, be kept out of the ODIs,” the report stated.
Hardik has not played an ODI since the Champions Trophy 2025 final in March due to fitness issues, while Bumrah’s last ODI appearance was the 2023 World Cup final.
Notably, Hardik Pandya sustained a quadriceps injury during the 2025 Asia Cup Super-Four fixture against Sri Lanka. The injury didn’t only rule him out of the tournament final against Pakistan, but also the entire white-ball tour of Australia and the South Africa ODI series.
On the other hand, the BCCI has been carefully managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload since he suffered the recurring back injury during the Sydney Test in January 2025. He played only three of the five Tests on the tour of England and was rested for the ODI series against Australia and South Africa as well.
Hardik, though, is expected to represent Baroda in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. As per the report, he will feature in the domestic 50-over competition, following BCCI’s diktat of mandatory participation in domestic games. Just like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who turned up for Mumbai and Delhi in the first two VHT games, Pandya may appear in two of the last three league matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Baroda, scheduled for January 3, 6 and 8, all in Rajkot.
Bumrah will not play for his domestic side, Gujarat, as he is currently taking rest. The development was confirmed by Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Anil Patel last week.
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)
