IND vs NZ 2026: Jasprit Bumrah & Hardik Pandya Likely to Sip ODI Series vs New Zealand to Stay Fresh for T20 World Cup 2026

Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are likely to be rested for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11. The move is part of India’s workload plan ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year.

Both players are expected to return for the five-match T20I leg that follows. Those games are seen as crucial build-up matches before the T20 World Cup in February-March, where India will defend their title.

Hardik has not played an ODI since the Champions Trophy final earlier this year. Bumrah’s last ODI outing was the 2023 ODI World Cup final in November, after which his focus has largely been on Tests and recovery.

Hardik has now shifted to being a white-ball specialist after repeated injury concerns in red-ball cricket. Bumrah, on the other hand, remains a key part of India’s Test plans and continues to be managed carefully across formats.

After returning from an injury layoff, Hardik featured in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda. He also played an important role in India’s recent white-ball series win against South Africa.

Hardik is likely to turn out for Baroda in two of their remaining three Vijay Hazare Trophy league matches. The team management wants him to stay match-fit without pushing him too hard before international duty.

There is also uncertainty around Shreyas Iyer’s availability. The Mumbai Cricket Association is unsure if he will return for Mumbai before the India ODI squad is picked around January 4 or 5. Iyer has been sidelined since late October with a spleen injury.

The ODI series against New Zealand will be played on January 11 in Vadodara, January 14 in Rajkot, and January 18 in Indore. The T20Is will run from January 21 to 31.

India are drawn in Group A for the T20 World Cup and will enter the tournament as defending champions. Resting senior players now could help keep them sharp for the bigger challenge ahead.