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Team India selectors are set 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 ODI leg entirely, with the think-tank viewing the series as a low priority compared to the packed T20 schedule that follows.
Why Jasprit Bumrah continues to miss bilateral ODI series?
According to reports, the Indian management considers Bumrah and Hardik as indispensable match-winners in both ODIs and T20Is. However, with the five-match T20I series against New Zealand beginning immediately after the ODI leg, the priority is to have both players fully fresh for the shortest format.
The T20Is are being treated as critical preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in February across India and Sri Lanka.
Selectors reportedly feel 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 following lower-back issues.
The long-term vision is to build Bumrah gradually towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, rather than rushing him into bilateral series that do not align with major tournament goals. Despite missing ODIs, Bumrah continues to spearhead India’s T20 attack and remains central to their plans in the shortest 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. Persistent fitness concerns have prompted India to limit his workload, with the all-rounder now focusing exclusively 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 the 32-year-old remains match-ready, the BCCI may ask him to play one or two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Baroda, in line with domestic participation guidelines. This would allow him to maintain rhythm without the intensity of international competition.
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