Why is Hardik Pandya not playing in IND vs NZ 1st ODI today?

India have begun their three-match series against New Zealand at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.As the first match got underway, fans noticed that all-rounder Hardik Pandya was missing from the Indian playing XI.New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first. As both teams took the field, the absence of Hardik Pandya became a major talking point.The main reason Hardik Pandya is not playing is that he was not selected in India’s ODI squad for this series. The decision was taken by the BCCI and the Centre of Excellence (CoE). Pandya was not cleared by the CoE to bowl a full spell of 10 overs in an ODI match. This raised concerns about his workload and fitness.Although Hardik Pandya did bowl 10 overs recently in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, the team management does not want to take any risks.With the T20 World Cup 2026 getting closer, BCCI wants to make sure that Pandya remains fully fit for the big tournament.He is considered a key player for India in T20 cricket. And managing his fitness now appears to be a top priority.Instead of rushing him back into ODIs, the selectors have decided to rest him and focus on long-term goals.At the toss, Indian captain Shubman Gill spoke about the team’s plans and the playing combination.Gill said, “We will bowl first.Try different combinations, try to see which suits us best, a challenge to bowl under dew. Looks like it will be a bit easier to bat under lights with the dew coming in. Playing a bit of VH matches, everyone looks in good form. The environment is good in the team. We'[re going with 6 bowlers.Sundar, Jadeja and Kuldeep the spinner. Siraj, Prasidh and Harshit the pacers.”India have gone with a strong XI that includes a mix of experienced players and young talent. The team looks confident as they aim to start the series on a winning note.India (Playing XI) vs NZ: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.