Fitness cloud over Shami, Hardik and Shreyas as India finalise squad for New Zealand ODIs

India’s selectors are set to announce the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, starting January 11, but fitness concerns around a few senior players are shaping the discussion ahead of the selection meeting expected on Saturday.

In recent weeks, several established names  including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma  have featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, aligning with the BCCI’s directive encouraging international players to stay match-ready through domestic cricket. With the New Zealand series approaching, player availability and medical clearance have become key factors for the selectors.

As per reports, ODI captain Shubman Gill has been declared fully fit and is in contention for selection. A long list of core players has also received medical clearance, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhruv Jurel, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna.

Notably absent from the cleared list is senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami. Despite turning out in domestic cricket and showing encouraging form, Shami has reportedly not received the green signal from the medical team, making his inclusion in the New Zealand series unlikely.

Hardik Pandya’s situation also remains unclear. The all-rounder is expected to continue playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for now, with two matches lined up. Team management is reportedly cautious due to his limited bowling workload in 50-over cricket recently, especially with the T20 World Cup on the horizon. As a result, his overs are being carefully managed.

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Meanwhile, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is in the final stages of his return from injury sustained during the Australia tour. He cleared an initial fitness test on January 2 and is scheduled to play a second return-to-play match for his state side on January 6. His selection will depend on receiving final medical clearance after that outing.

With the squad announcement imminent, the selectors are closely monitoring these fitness updates as they look to assemble a balanced side for the New Zealand challenge.