CHENNAI: It was always the plan. To have the key Test regulars leave the camp after the third ODI and prepare for the two red-ball matches while the player depth gets tested in the last two games. Which is why, the third ODI on Tuesday was the last chance for some of the Test regulars, including Shubman Gill, to get some time in the middle. However, that was not to be with the match in Hamilton getting abandoned without a ball being bowled.
India still lead the series 2-0, but Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj would no longer be a part of the squad for the next two matches, starting from the fourth ODI in Mount Maunganui on Friday. Replacing the three would be Tilak Varma, Yash Thakur and Kumar Kushagra. While it is Thakur's and Kushagra's maiden ODI call-up, Tilak has played five ODIs - four in 2023 and one in December 2025.
What remains to be seen, however, is whether any of the three gets a go in the fourth ODI on Friday. And it might not be easy, especially for Tilak and Kushagra. For starters, Ishan Kishan, the named deputy of Shreyas Iyer who would take over from Gill, is set to walk into the playing XI and so would Ruturaj Gaikwad. The toss up here is likely to be about who opens the batting with Rohit Sharma and who comes in at No. 4.
Both Gaikwad and Kishan's recent outings in ODIs came in the middle-order though by default they are openers in white-ball cricket. Gaikwad was moved to No 4 during the South Africa series last year by head coach Gautam Gambhir in the absence of Shreyas and he scored a century too.
Kishan, likewise, batted at No 3/4 in the last five ODIs he has played and has a century to show for against Afghanistan in Lucknow. Now, it will be interesting to see who gets to open among the two, especially with Gambhir staying on with the ODI team. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and bowling coach Morne Morkel are likely to be with the Test players for the camp.
Gambhir, in the past, has preferred to have a left-right combination at the top. And it is a trend that has continued in the T20Is. Going by that, it could be the case of Kishan opening the batting with Rohit. What also could be a possible option is if Tilak gets a nod ahead of Gaikwad in the middle-order, allowing them to field two left-handers in the top six, especially with the Axar Patel move not working as much as expected in the first two matches. That the two sure starters - Gill and Rahul - leaving has opened up an bundle of options.
And he would want to make the most of the chance knowing full well that Nitish K Reddy is yet to play a game. And so is Mohammed Siraj despite both being a part of the Test squad as well. It would be interesting to see who takes Kamboj's place in the XI.
Either way, weather permitting, the next two matches allow Gambhir to experiment as India look to narrow down the player pool for the World Cup. The only thing that can be said for certain is that India would not go in with the same XI — which was the case in the first three matches.
