Wellington, Oct 12:
New Zealand have announced separate squads for the first three and final two matches of their five-match home ODI series against India, beginning on November 4, as they balance preparations for the upcoming Test series and assess their options ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Mitchell Santner will captain both squads. The first three ODIs will feature established players such as Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra, who returns after recovering from a shoulder injury. Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Will Young and Blair Tickner have been named in both squads.
Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert return to the ODI setup for the fourth and fifth matches. New Zealand coach Rob Walter said the split would allow several Test specialists to leave early for additional preparation ahead of the two-Test series against India, which begins in Wellington on November 19. The final two ODIs will also provide an opportunity to assess the team’s depth against a strong Indian side. Walter said the series was important preparation for the 2027 World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. New Zealand will play five T20 Internationals against India before the ODI series.