India's ODI squad vs New Zealand: Siraj returns, Iyer awaits clearance; Bumrah and Pandya rested

MUMBAI: Experienced fast bowler Mohammed Siraj on Saturday made a comeback to India’s ODI side for the three-match home series against New Zealand, while ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, who has been steadily recovering from a spleen injury that kept him out of action for the past three months, was included in the squad subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.The ODI series against the Kiwis begins on Jan 11 in Vadodara, followed by matches in Rajkot on Jan 14 and Indore on Jan 18. The team will assemble in Vadodara on Jan 7.Siraj last played an ODI during India’s tour of Australia and was overlooked for the subsequent series against South Africa. A proven performer in Test cricket, the 31-year-old has taken 73 wickets in 47 ODIs at an average of 24.67. The pacer recently turned out for Hyderabad in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and on Saturday, played his first Vijay Hazare Trophy match of the season, returning figures of 1/19 in eight overs as Hyderabad thrashed Chandigarh by 136 runs in Rajkot.“Siraj wasn’t dropped from the South Africa ODI series but rested. He is part of our core group of seven to eight pacers who are in the mix. These quicks will be rotated to keep them fit and fresh,” a source tracking developments told TOI.Iyer has been sidelined since sustaining a spleen injury while attempting a diving catch during the third and final ODI against Australia on Oct 25. The 31-year-old will return to competitive cricket when he turns out for Mumbai in their final two Vijay Hazare Trophy league matches against Himachal Pradesh (Jan 6) and Punjab (Jan 8).“Iyer has informed us that he has received clearance from the CoE today to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shreyas, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube will all reach Jaipur on Sunday and play for Mumbai in the last two VHT matches,” Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar told TOI on Saturday.Iyer successfully completed his first 50-over return-to-play (RTP) match simulation on Jan 2, 2026. The Mumbai game against Himachal Pradesh will serve as his second RTP match, as per the clearance protocol laid down by the BCCI. Upon successfully completing both match simulations, Iyer will be considered fully fit.Shubman Gill will lead the side, marking his return to ODI cricket after missing the South Africa series due to a neck spasm sustained during the Kolkata Test. Gill, Iyer and Siraj replace Tilak Varma, the in-form Dhruv Jurel and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored an 83-ball 105 against South Africa in the second ODI in Raipur.Pandya not cleared to bowl 10 oversWith the T20 World Cup approaching, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have both been rested to manage workload. “Hardik Pandya has not been cleared by the BCCI’s CoE to bowl 10 overs in a match and, considering the T20 World Cup to follow, his workload is being managed,” the board said in a media release on Saturday.Pandya has been replaced by Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has taken six wickets at 40.66 at an economy rate of 5.67 and scored 139 runs at 34.75 for Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 season.India ODI squad for NZ series: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.