Hardik Pandya's Strategic Rest: Baroda Games Before NZ ODI Break

"Yes, it's confirmed that Hardik will turn out for Baroda in their Vijay Hazare games on January 3 and 8, which are against Vidarbha and Chandigarh. He's not there for the clash against Jammu & Kashmir on January 6, as he needs ample break to manage his load in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.

"Hardik was wishing to turn out in ODIs against New Zealand, but the team think-tank advised him to rest from the series, as they want him in fine fettle for the subsequent T20I series and the all-important T20 World Cup," a source familiar with the matter told IANS on Tuesday.

Pandya last played an ODI for India in March, which was the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai. Along with ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, whose workload also needs ample management, Pandya is expected to return for India's five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting in Nagpur on January 21, before the T20 World Cup begins on February 7.

Both Pandya and Bumrah are considered indispensable to India's T20 World Cup title defence hopes by the team management, though the latter has been exempted from featuring in Vijay Hazare Trophy games.

Pandya returned to full all-round duties during India's 3-1 T20I series victory over South Africa in December after recovering from a quadriceps injury sustained in the Asia Cup Super Fours match against Sri Lanka in September. The injury had sidelined him from the Asia Cup final against Pakistan and India's subsequent 2-1 T20I series win in Australia.

India's ODI squad for the New Zealand series will be announced when the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel meets in the first week of January. Shubman Gill could return to lead the side for the matches in Vadodara, Rajkot and Indore after missing the 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa due to a neck injury.

The selectors are expected to get an official update on the status of Shreyas Iyer, who has been training and building up his fitness at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

Iyer has been out of action after suffering a serious spleen injury while attempting to take a diving catch of Alex Carey during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney.

The selectors are also likely to deliberate over the second keeper slot, especially with T20 World Cup-bound Ishan Kishan and Dhruv Jurel in fine form, thus giving stiff competition to the incumbent Rishabh Pant.

- IANS