IND vs NZ: Bumrah and Hardik may be rested for the ODI series against New Zealand; is the busy schedule the reason?

Posted on 29th Dec 2025 04:17 pm by rohit kumar

India may rest fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and experienced all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand next month. With a busy schedule ahead in 2026, the Indian team management is prioritizing workload management for its players. The T20 World Cup is also scheduled for early next year, and the team management wants its two senior players in the limited-overs format to be fully fit.

 

 

Prioritizing the T20 format

Bumrah and Hardik are part of the squad for the five-match T20 series against New Zealand. The team management is currently prioritizing T20s as the T20 World Cup begins on February 7, where India will be defending its title. The Indian squad for the ODI series against New Zealand is expected to be announced in the first week of January.

 

 

Pant's selection is unlikely.

Rishabh Pant's selection for this series is also unlikely. If Pant is not selected, it could open the door for wicketkeepers Ishan Kishan or Jitesh Sharma. The first ODI between India and New Zealand will be played in Baroda on January 11, followed by the second match in Rajkot on January 14 and the third ODI in Indore on January 18.  The T20 series matches will then be played between January 21 and 31 in Nagpur, Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram.

 

 

Hardik may play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Pandya's careful management has been a constant topic of discussion over the past year. Hardik hasn't played an ODI since the Champions Trophy final in March due to fitness issues. Bumrah, meanwhile, hasn't played an ODI since the 2023 World Cup final, and the team management is keeping a close eye on his workload given his importance across all formats. Pandya is expected to play for Baroda in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This will ensure compliance with the BCCI's directive making it mandatory for centrally contracted players to participate in domestic matches. He is likely to play in two of Baroda's last three league matches, which are scheduled to be held in Rajkot on January 3rd, 6th, and 8th.

Other news

Aravalli Controversy: Controversy erupts over the 'wrong definition' of the Aravalli range; Congress asks: For whose benefit is the government being so stubborn?

Protests continue in Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and the national capital, Delhi, over the Arava

IMD issues red alert; over 70 trains arriving in Delhi are delayed by up to 15 hours due to dense fog; see the complete list.

Dense fog enveloped the national capital, Delhi, on Monday morning. The India Meteorological Depa

'Emergency situation in Delhi, reduce GST on air purifiers'; High Court comments on air pollution.

The Delhi High Court, hearing a petition seeking to classify air purifiers as "medical devices" u

Dr. Manmohan Singh: The former PM was paid tribute by a grateful nation, including Rahul Gandhi. Find out what everyone said.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's first death anniversary is being observed today. ​​Sev

Amidst the success of 'Dhruva', has Akshaye Khanna left 'Drishyam 3'? Speculation about the actor's departure from the film has caused a stir.

Veteran Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna has been consistently making headlines lately, thanks to h

Ram Gopal Varma became a fan of Akshaye Khanna in 'Dhurandhar', and praised him highly for his role as the dacoit Rehman; here's what he said.

Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna's starrer 'Dhurandhar' is continuously receiving praise. The fil

Janhvi Kapoor reacted strongly to the incident of a man being burned alive in Bangladesh, saying, "This hypocrisy will destroy us."

Recently, Dipu Chandra Das was burned alive in Bangladesh. This brutality has shaken everyone. No

VB-G RAM G: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha will take to the streets against the law; a resistance day has been announced for January 16.

The conflict between the central government and farmer organizations over laws related to rural e

Vaibhav's record didn't even last an hour: Bihari players shine in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gani scores a century in 32 balls, and Kishan in 33 balls.

The first day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025, December 24th, will be remembered for a long time

Save Aravalli: A desert will form near Delhi in a few years; 31 hills of the Aravalli range have disappeared under the guise of legal and illegal mining.

Thirty-one hills of the Aravalli range, which are vital to the entire NCR region, including Delhi