Team India kicked off their One Day International campaign against New Zealand in Vadodara. Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant got injured a day before the IND vs NZ 1st ODI, prompting the BCCI to name Dhruv Jurel as his replacement in the squad.
Men in Blue captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field first on a flat pitch against the Kiwis. During the toss, Gill announced India’s playing XI, which did not include Dhruv Jurel.
Now, fans are curious to know why Dhruv Jurel is not playing in the IND vs NZ 1st ODI 2026. Following the intense curiosity about Jurel’s latest inclusion, Gill explained why he’s not in the playing XI.
Shubman Gill explains Why is Dhurv Jurel not playing in IND vs NZ 1st ODI
The Men in Blue opted for six bowlers, keeping the Kiwis’ batting depth in mind. KL Rahul became the primary choice in the absence of Rishabh Pant.
Considering KL Rahul’s past records against New Zealand, the captain decided to give him the edge over Dhruv Jurel. While addressing the playing XI, Gill mentioned that…
We want to try different combinations and see how that works. Surface looks good, hope it’ll be easier to bat with the dew coming in in the second innings. Playing a bit of Vijay Hazare gives players some experience. Six bowlers – Washy, Kuldeep, Jadeja as spinners
India Playing XI vs New Zealand 1st ODI
1. Shubman Gill (capt.), 2. Rohit Sharma, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Shreyas Iyer, 5. KL Rahul (wk), 6. Washington Sundar, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Harshit Rana, 9. Kuldeep Yadav, 10. Mohammed Siraj, 11. Prasidh Krishna
READ MORE: Why is Rishabh Pant Not Playing Today in IND vs NZ 1st ODI?
