India vs New Zealand 5th ODI: Yash Thakur Makes Debut, Siraj Returns as New Zealand Bowl First
India captain Shreyas Iyer welcomed debutant Yash Thakur and experienced Mohammed Siraj ahead of the series decider at Bay Oval.
India face New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday, November 15, 2026. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Key takeaways
- Yash Thakur makes his ODI debut for India
- Mohammed Siraj returns to the playing XI
- New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bowl
- India lead the series 2-1 after New Zealand won the fourth ODI by 244 runs
- India are chasing their first away ODI series win under head coach Gautam Gambhir
India face New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday, November 15, 2026. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to bowl first in the series decider.
Team changes and debuts
India handed fast bowler Yash Thakur his ODI debut cap, while Mohammed Siraj returned to the playing XI. Thakur replaces Gurnoor Brar, who has joined India’s Test squad for preparations in Wellington. Siraj comes in for left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Thakur has played four T20Is for India and is making his international debut in the 50-over format. India captain Shreyas Iyer said Thakur had been waiting for the opportunity to play for the country and had been in the scheme of things for a while.
Iyer added that Siraj had been craving an opportunity to play in all formats and was experienced after playing over the years.
New Zealand changes and toss decision
New Zealand made two changes to their side, with Blair Tickner and Jacob Duffy coming in for Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson, who have joined the squad preparing for the upcoming Test assignment. Santner said he was surprised to finally win the toss in the multi-format series and cited possible showers and dew later in the day as reasons to bowl.
Series context
India lead the five-match series 2-1, but New Zealand levelled the scoreline after winning the fourth ODI by 244 runs at the same venue. India were bowled out for just 89 in that match. India are chasing their maiden away ODI series triumph under head coach Gautam Gambhir, while New Zealand are looking to avoid their first home bilateral ODI series defeat in seven years.
What happens next
New Zealand will bat second after bowling first, with the possibility of showers and dew later in the day, Santner said at the toss. India will look to recover from their disappointing fourth ODI performance and secure a series victory.
India playing XI for the fifth ODI
Player | Role |
|---|---|
Rohit Sharma | Batter |
Ruturaj Gaikwad | Batter |
Virat Kohli | Batter |
Shreyas Iyer | Captain |
Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper |
Axar Patel | All-rounder |
Naman Dhir | Batter |
Auqib Nabi | Bowler |
Arshdeep Singh | Bowler |
Mohammed Siraj | Bowler |
Yash Thakur | Debutant bowler |
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