Representative image. TimBray, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
The change settles India's fast-bowling options for the ODI series that starts on 4 November. It also shows how the selectors are handling Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy: both are being sent to India A games to get match practice before the Test series from 19 November.
Auqib Nabi will be with India for the whole of the five-match ODI series in New Zealand. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on 31 October 2026 that the selectors had moved the right-arm pacer into the India ODI squad for the first three games, which begin in Auckland on 4 November. He had first been picked only for the fourth and fifth matches, according to the BCCI’s media advisory.
The change follows a setback a day earlier. On 30 October the board ruled Prasidh Krishna out of the ODI series. The fast bowler is recovering from a hamstring injury and needs more time to build up the workload needed for matches, the BCCI said.
How the India ODI squad has changed since 16 October
The selectors named two squads on 16 October: one for the first three ODIs, led by Shubman Gill, and one for the last two, led by Shreyas Iyer. Prasidh was in the first group with a note that he was “subject to fitness clearance”. He was ruled out before the series began.
Three BCCI releases in a fortnight have reshaped the first group. NewsPlainly lined them up:
| Date | What the BCCI said | Effect on ODIs 1 to 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 October | Squads and fixtures announced | 16 players, including Prasidh Krishna (fitness clearance pending) and Nitish Kumar Reddy |
| 30 October | Prasidh ruled out; Nitish to play only the first ODI | 15 players; Nitish leaves after 4 November |
| 31 October | Auqib Nabi added | 16 players, Nabi now in both squads |
The 30 October advisory also changed the second squad. Nitish was in the 16 October list for the fourth and fifth ODIs, but not in the updated one. The board said he would instead join India A for its third four-day game against New Zealand A, to get match practice before the two-match Test series that starts on 19 November.
Who is Auqib Nabi, and why the Prasidh Krishna injury matters
Nabi is a pace bowler from Jammu and Kashmir, India Today reported. The BCCI’s advisory describes him simply as a right-arm pacer and does not give any other detail about him.
Prasidh’s injury goes back to India’s second ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati, according to India Today. He took one wicket for 45 runs in five overs in that match before leaving the field, the report said.
His recovery plan now points at the Tests. The BCCI said Prasidh will join India A for the third and final four-day game against New Zealand A if he clears his return to play assessment, the fitness test a player must pass before coming back after an injury. That game, the board said, will give him match practice and help him prepare for the Test series. He was named in the Test squad on 16 October.
India vs New Zealand ODI schedule in IST
All five ODIs start at 7.30 am Indian time, according to the BCCI’s fixture list. The opener is on a Wednesday and the last match on a Sunday.
| Match | Date | Venue | India captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Wednesday, 4 November | Auckland | Shubman Gill |
| 2nd ODI | Saturday, 7 November | Wellington | Shubman Gill |
| 3rd ODI | Tuesday, 10 November | Hamilton | Shubman Gill |
| 4th ODI | Friday, 13 November | Mount Maunganui | Shreyas Iyer |
| 5th ODI | Sunday, 15 November | Mount Maunganui | Shreyas Iyer |
The two squads side by side
India have named 19 different players across the two ODI squads. By NewsPlainly’s count from the BCCI lists, 12 of them are in both: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav and now Auqib Nabi.
Four players are in the first squad only: Shubman Gill, wicketkeeper KL Rahul, Anshul Kamboj and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is listed for the opening match alone. Three are in the second squad only: Tilak Varma, wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra and Yash Thakur. Ishan Kishan is vice-captain for the last two games, and Kishan and Rahul are the wicketkeepers for the first three.
Siraj has an extra stop before the series. The BCCI said he will join the India A squad for the second four-day game against New Zealand A, which starts on 31 October. He remains in both ODI squads.
India come into the ODIs straight from the T20I series. They won that series early with a 3rd T20I win, as NewsPlainly reported, before New Zealand won the fourth match by 87 runs.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Auqib Nabi added to India's ODI squad?
The BCCI moved him into the squad for the first three ODIs on 31 October 2026, a day after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury. Nabi was already in the squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs.
When does the India vs New Zealand ODI series start?
On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, in Auckland, at 7.30 am IST. The other matches are on 7, 10, 13 and 15 November.
Who is India's captain for the New Zealand ODIs?
Shubman Gill leads in the first three ODIs and Shreyas Iyer in the fourth and fifth, according to the BCCI.
Will Prasidh Krishna play the Tests?
He was named in the Test squad on 16 October. The BCCI said he will play India A's third four-day game against New Zealand A if he clears his return to play assessment, to prepare for the Tests.