Shubman Gill will captain India in the first three ODIs against New Zealand, with Shreyas Iyer taking charge for the fourth and fifth. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are available for all five matches, the BCCI confirmed on October 16.
The split is forced by the schedule: the Test series begins just four days after the fifth ODI. Gill, KL Rahul, Prasidh Krishna and Anshul Kamboj will leave the ODI squad after three games to prepare for two Tests.
Updated: October 19, 2026, 11:00 IST
Quick Read
- Five-match ODI series vs New Zealand: Gill captains the first three, Iyer the last two. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are available for all five, the BCCI confirmed on October 16.
- Reason: the Test series starts four days after the fifth ODI. Gill, KL Rahul, Prasidh Krishna and Anshul Kamboj exit the ODI squad after the third game for Test preparation.
- First-three-ODIs squad: Gill (c), Rohit, Kohli, Iyer (vc), KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav. Last two ODIs add Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Kishan (wk, vc), Auqib Nabi, Kumar Kushagra (maiden call-up) and Yash Thakur — Jaiswal misses the cut, Jadeja is dropped.
India will have two captains in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. Shubman Gill leads the side for the first three games. Shreyas Iyer takes over for the fourth and fifth. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be available for all five matches, the BCCI said on October 16.
Why the captaincy changes hands
The reason is the calendar, not form. The Test series starts just four days after the fifth ODI. Gill, KL Rahul, Prasidh Krishna and Anshul Kamboj are all part of the Test plans, so they leave the ODI squad after the third game. That’s why the captain’s armband passes to Iyer for the last two matches.
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First three ODIs: the squad
For the opening three games, India have picked: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav.
Last two ODIs: fresh faces come in
For the fourth and fifth ODIs, six players join the group: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Auqib Nabi, Kumar Kushagra and Yash Thakur. Kushagra’s maiden ODI call-up is the standout pick — a new name in the mix.
Gill, KL Rahul, Kamboj and Prasidh drop out at this stage to prepare for the Tests.
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Jaiswal misses out, Jadeja dropped
Two big names didn’t make it. Yashasvi Jaiswal misses the ODI cut. And Ravindra Jadeja has been dropped from the ODI squad — a tough call for one of India’s most experienced white-ball players.
The Test picture
The bigger prize is the two Tests. Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t played a Test in 2026. Akash Deep is back after an eight-month layoff with a back injury. Rishabh Pant is included, subject to fitness. India must win both Tests to keep their faint WTC-final hopes alive.
A rare split — and what it signals
India doesn’t often split a captaincy inside one ODI series. The move says something clear: workload management is now the priority. With the T20 World Cup cycle building, the team would rather protect its Test core than run them through five ODIs days before a must-win series. It’s a gamble on freshness over continuity.
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FAQ
### Why are there two captains for one ODI series?
Because the Test series begins four days after the fifth ODI. Gill, KL Rahul, Prasidh Krishna and Anshul Kamboj leave the ODI squad after the third game for Test preparation, so Shreyas Iyer captains the fourth and fifth ODIs.
### Will Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli play all five ODIs?
Yes. The BCCI confirmed on October 16 that both are available for the full five-match series.
### Who are the new faces in the last-two-ODIs squad?
Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Auqib Nabi, Kumar Kushagra — a maiden ODI call-up — and Yash Thakur. Shreyas Iyer takes over as captain.
The ODI series is the warm-up act. The real prize is the two Tests that follow — the ones India must win to stay alive in the WTC race.
