“It’s inexcusable after one point.”

Former cricketer Priyank Panchal has questioned the inclusion of Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana, over the likes of senior players who proved their quality in the playing XI in the first ODI between India and New Zealand. The two sides kicked off the series at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11.

The selectors have retained the majority of players who defeated South Africa 2-1 in the ODI series in late 2025. While the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill returned after recovering from their injuries, in-form senior players like Mohammed Shami and Axar Patel have been overlooked.

Shami was Bengal’s leading wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 15 wickets in seven matches, while Axar Patel hit his maiden List hundred during the encounter between Gujarat and Andhra.

Arshdeep Singh, on the other hand, will have to settle for a place on the bench for the first ODI against the BlackCaps, as India have named Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana as their players.

“Don’t get me wrong. I like Washi and Harshit as players. Even Prasidh for that matter. Lots of talent. But I don’t see how the likes of Axar, Shami bhai and Arshideep miss the cut for them. It’s inexcusable after a point. #INDvNZ,” Priyank Panchal posted on X during the first innings.

Ahead of the first ODI, the Men in Blue also lost the services of Rishabh Pant for the entire series after a freak injury during the net session. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named in-form player Dhruv Jurel as a replacement.

New Zealand openers run the show against Indian bowlers in IND vs NZ 2026 1st ODI

The Indian bowling unit struggled to make an impact on a flat surface against the left-handed opening pair of Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls. After a cautious start, overcoming a few swings and variable bounces, the batting pair became comfortable with each pass to build a strong start.

At the time of writing, the visitors are placed at 84-0 after 17 overs, with spin pair Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav working in tandem.