Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya given break as India plan rotation for ODIs in New Zealand

The Team India selectors are going to rest jasprit bumrah And Hardik Pandya for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026, as the team management sharpens its focus on workload management and long-term fitness ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Both stars are expected to sit out the entire ODI leg, with the think tank seeing the series as a low priority compared to the busy T20 schedule that follows.

Why Jasprit Bumrah keeps missing bilateral ODI series?

According to reports, Indian management is considering Bumrah and Hardik as indispensable match-winners in both ODIs and T20Is. However, with the five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting immediately after the ODI leg, the priority is to have both players fully fresh for the shortest format.

The T20Is are considered crucial preparation for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which starts in India and Sri Lanka in February.

Selectors are reportedly of the view that the ODI series offers little immediate value for Bumrah, especially given his recent workload and injury history. The fast bowler has not played a 50-over international since the 2023 ODI World Cup final, with India carefully managing his overs due to lower back problems.

The long-term view is to gradually build Bumrah towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, rather than rushing him into bilateral series that don’t align with the big tournament goals. Despite missing ODIs, Bumrah continues to spearhead India’s T20 attack and remains central to their plans in the shortest possible format.

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Why no Hardik Pandya for NZ ODIs?

Hardik, meanwhile, has not featured in an ODI since the Champions Trophy final in March 2025. Lingering concerns over his fitness have prompted India to limit his workload, with the all-rounder now focusing solely on white-ball cricket.

Given Hardik’s importance as a power-hitting all-rounder and seam-bowling option in T20s, the management is reluctant to risk him in a low-stakes ODI series so close to a major ICC event.

To ensure that the 32-year-old remains match-ready, the BCCI may ask him to play one or two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Baroda, in accordance with the domestic eligibility guidelines. This would allow him to keep the pace without the intensity of international competition.

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