Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan kicked aside as India name Rishabh Pant's replacement for NZ ODIs

Young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has been drafted into the Indian squad after Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the entire three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which is set to begin on Sunday, January 11, in Vadodara.

Dhruv Jurel gets maiden ODI call-up as Rishabh Pant's replacement for New Zealand series

Jurel has earned his maiden ODI call-up after Pant picked up a side strain during an intense net session on Saturday (January 10) when a sharp delivery from a throwdown specialist struck him on the ribs. It initially looked like a minor blow but soon turned serious, and after medical checks, the team management decided not to take any risk.

The BCCI said in an official media release: “Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant felt a sudden onset discomfort in his right lateral abdominal area while batting in the nets during India’s practice session on Saturday afternoon at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara.

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He was taken for MRI scans immediately and the BCCI Medical Team had a detailed discussion with an expert on his clinical and radiological finding. Pant has been diagnosed with a side strain (Oblique Muscle Tear) and is subsequently ruled out of the ODI Series.”

Read Also: Heartless act! Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill ignore 'crying' Rishabh Pant after painful injury

Big setback for Rishabh Pant

It was a massive setback for Rishabh Pant, as he was aiming to retain his place in India’s ODI XI. The left-handed batter had been part of the ODI squads but has never gotten the chance to bat since the Sri Lanka tour in 2024. He has been kept outside the playing XI under Gautam Gambhir’s leadership.

The Indian wicketkeeper-batter has already played 31 ODIs for India and scored 871 runs with the help of one century and five fifties at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of over 106. His numbers led India to try a couple of options, including Ishan Kishan, but they settled on Rahul.

Well, Pant is already not part of India’s T20I plans, and now his ODI chance has also slipped away, raising concerns about his white-ball career. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter is now expected to be seen in action in the IPL 2026, where he will lead Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Rishabh Pant ruled out of India-New Zealand ODI series, Dhruv Jurel rewarded for red-hot form

Now, Rishabh Pant was officially ruled out of the entire ODI series against New Zealand, with Jurel taking his place in the Indian side. Jurel joined the Indian team on Saturday night, just before the three-match ODI series opener against the Black Caps.

The BCCI added, “The Men’s Selection Committee has named Dhruv Jurel as Pant’s replacement, and Jurel has linked up with the squad.”

Here's India's updated ODI squad:

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK).

Read Also: Not Jasprit Bumrah! Sourav Ganguly names this bowler as India’s T20 World Cup match-winner

Why Dhruv Jurel? The Stunning Vijay Hazare Form

Jurel’s stunning run in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 helped him earn his maiden ODI call-up. Gambhir picked the youngster over Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. He has been in red-hot form for Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazara Trophy 2025–26. The young batter is currently the highest run-scorer for his team, amassing 558 runs in just seven matches.

Interestingly, Jurel is leading Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, and he is doing an amazing job both as captain and batter, scoring runs at an impressive average of over 90. Across seven innings in the tournament, Jurel has already smashed two centuries and four half-centuries, showing both consistency and big-match temperament.

Jurel leads Uttar Pradesh to VHT quarterfinal

Jurel’s sublime form with the bat has played a huge role in Uttar Pradesh’s dominant campaign in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, as the team finished on top of the Elite Group B points table. The Uttar Pradesh collected 28 points after winning all seven of their matches. They will now take on Saurashtra in the quarterfinal clash of the Vijay Hazare Trophy on January 11.

The talented wicketkeeper-batter has already represented India in 9 Tests and 2 T20Is, scoring 459 and 12 runs, respectively. Now, Jurel has a chance to break into the ODI scenes as well, though KL Rahul will be preferred as the wicketkeeper-batter in India’s XI.