India’s star batsman, KL Rahul has been excluded from India’s 15-member squad to face New Zealand in the 3-game ODI series, that starts from 22nd October in Mumbai. Rahul will be replaced by wicket-keeper batsman, Dinesh Karthik, who was left out of the squads that faced Sri Lanka and Australia.
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KL Rahul, who managed 196 runs in his first three ODI innings at an average of 196, could only score 52 more in the next six innings, at a poor average of 8.66.
His poor run saw him being dropped from the XI for Manish Pandey, who was average during the ODI series against Australia. Rahul has now been dropped from the squad also, even though he did not play a single ODI during the Australia series.
On the other hand, Tamil Nadu star, Dinesh Karthik has been rewarded for his consistency in the 50-over format since the past year. Along with Karthik, Shardul Thakur will make a return to the squad, after he made his debut in the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
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Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who missed the ODIs to spend time with his partner will make a return to the squad, and he faces competition from in-form Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.
Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina continue to be looked over by the selectors, while Ravichandran Ashwin and his spin partner in Ravindra Jadeja were also excluded.
Indian selectors continue to give the impressive pair of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the 50-over format, with left-arm all-rounder Axar Patel as back-up.
Moreover, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav will also miss the series against New Zealand, after they were included in the series against Australia. The selectors, however, are yet to explain the exclusion of the duo.
The first ODI begins on 22nd in Mumbai, before Pune hosts the 2nd ODI on 25th, with the final fixture of the series being played on 29th October at the Green Park Oval in Kanpur.
India’s ODI squad to face New Zealand: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kedar Jadhav, Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal.
