Auqib Nabi added to India squad for first three ODIs vs New Zealand

The BCCI has added right-arm fast bowler Auqib Nabi to India’s squad for the first three ODIs against New Zealand, the board announced on Saturday.

Nabi was initially named in the squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs only and will now be available from the start of the series. His inclusion means he will be part of India’s ODI squad for the entire five-match series in New Zealand.

The move comes just a day after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the series to concentrate on his ongoing recovery from a left hamstring injury.

Krishna "will need additional time to build up the workload required to be ready for matches," the BCCI said in an earlier statement.

" India’s updated squad for the first three ODIs is Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy (only for the first ODI), and Auqib Nabi.

The squad for the fourth and fifth ODIs is Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper, vice-captain), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Context

The five-match ODI series between New Zealand and India runs from November 4 to November 15, after which the two-Test series begins on November 19.

The India cricket team is touring New Zealand from October to December 2026 to play two Tests, five ODIs and five T20I matches. The Test series forms part of the 2025–2027 World Test Championship cycle.

In June 2026, New Zealand Cricket confirmed the fixtures for the tour as part of the 2026 home international season. This is the biggest bilateral series played between both nations.

Nabi has played a single international for India so far—the second ODI against West Indies in September, when he bowled a ten-over spell of 0 for 84. He made his India debut in that match in Guwahati.

Sportstar noted he claimed 60 wickets in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. Nabi is currently in New Zealand with India A’s red-ball squad, where he played in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A and took six wickets.

Krishna is expected to join the India A squad for the third unofficial Test, which will take place concurrently to the ODI series. He pulled up with his hamstring injury in the same ODI in which Nabi made his debut.

Auqib Nabi Dar is an Indian cricketer who plays for the Indian national team as a right-arm medium bowler. He plays for Jammu & Kashmir in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. He was born in Baramulla.

India’s updated ODI squad for the first three ODIs vs New Zealand

Related on Apex Sports News

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• Prasidh Krishna ruled out of New Zealand ODIs, set for India A

Sources

• Sportstar

• ESPNcricinfo

• Photo: Robert Lamb, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)