India have made a major decision regarding their squad for the fifth ODI against New Zealand, alongside an important change to the Test squad. The tour has been positive overall: India won the T20I series and, with a 2-1 lead, cannot lose the ODI series. However, the fourth ODI was a match to forget, with India suffering a crushing 244-run defeat.
That match also highlighted the contrasting fortunes of two bowlers. Gurnoor Brar continued to add to his wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav struggled in his only appearance of the ODI series. India have now released Kuldeep from the Test squad and brought Gurnoor into the side.
Kuldeep Yadav Released From the Test Squad
Kuldeep’s release is a significant decision because he had already been selected for the Test series. This is a change to the main squad, rather than simply leaving him out of the playing XI.
His only ODI appearance came in the fourth match, where he conceded 73 runs in eight overs without taking a wicket. At an economy rate of 9.13, he was unable to provide either control or a breakthrough as New Zealand posted 333.
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The move towards an additional fast bowler suggests India expect pace and bounce to play a bigger role in the Tests. If the surfaces offer greater assistance to seamers, Gurnoor’s ability to extract bounce could make him a more useful option.
Kuldeep’s difficult outing provides context for the decision, although it does not establish that one performance alone determined his release.
Gurnoor Brar Rewarded for His ODI Performances
Gurnoor’s inclusion comes after an impressive ODI series in which he has taken nine wickets in three appearances at an average of 15.89making him India’s leading wicket-taker in the series so far.
| Match | Bowling figures |
|---|---|
| First ODI, Auckland | 3/44 |
| Second ODI, Wellington | 4/30 |
| Fourth ODI, Mount Maunganui | 2/69 |
The third ODI was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
His standout performance came in Wellington, where he took 4/30 in 10 overs, including two maidens. That spell showed how effective he could be when he consistently attacked a hard length and used the extra bounce available in New Zealand.
Gurnoor’s height and steep bounce have made him an uncomfortable bowler to face. Rather than relying only on movement, he has challenged batters with deliveries that rise towards the upper body and force difficult decisions about playing the pull shot.
Even during India’s heavy defeat in the fourth ODI, he dismissed Tim Seifert and Michael Bracewell. His overall performances have given India a strong reason to consider him for the longer format.
Gurnoor to Miss Fifth ODI as Test Preparations Take Priority
Gurnoor will be rested from the fifth ODI after being added to the Test squad. His absence changes India’s bowling options for the final white-ball match and gives him time to prepare for the red-ball series.
The decision also strengthens the possibility of him featuring in the first Test. Moving an in-form bowler out of the ODI side to prepare separately suggests that the management is seriously considering him for the Test XI.
It does not guarantee selection, but Gurnoor now has both recent performances in New Zealand and preparation time in his favour. The first Test begins in Wellington on November 19, at the venue where he produced his best spell of the ODI series.
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India’s Updated Squad for the Fifth ODI
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.
India’s Updated Test Squad
Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj and Gurnoor Brar.