Auqib Nabi Joins India’s First Three New Zealand ODIs

Six wickets for India A helped fast bowler Auqib Nabi earn a place in India’s first three ODIs against New Zealand. The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced Saturday that Nabi will now be available from the series opener. He was first named only for the fourth and fifth matches, and the opener is November 4. He is in the squad for all five games. ^1,2

That change follows fast bowler Prasidh Krishna’s withdrawal from the entire ODI series. Krishna needs more time to recover from a hamstring injury he sustained during India’s home series against the West Indies. He remains in the running for the two-Test series and could join India A for its final four-day game against New Zealand A if he passes a fitness check.^1,5 Nabi, meanwhile, is being pulled from the remaining India A games after his six-wicket performance in the first match. ²

The six wickets matter because the squad now has a new pace option for the opening matches, while India manage players’ fitness and preparation across formats. Nabi’s first ODI appearance, against the West Indies in September, was difficult: he conceded 84 runs in 8.5 overs and was left out of the next game. His domestic record is stronger, with 60 wickets helping Jammu and Kashmir win its first Ranji Trophy title in 2025-26.^2,3 The latest call gives him an early chance to return to the international side.

That chance begins on November 4, when India start the five-match ODI series. Shubman Gill captains the first three matches, with Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain; Iyer leads the last two. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is listed only for the opener before joining India A for practice in red-ball cricket ahead of the Tests, which begin November 19. ^1,2