India left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was not included in the playing XI for the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11. His absence caught many by surprise, and former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was among those who expressed shock at Arshdeep being left out of the opener.
Arshdeep played all three matches of Team India's last ODI series against South Africa at home in December 2025. The young fast bowler took five wickets as India won the series 2-1. He, who made his ODI debut back in November 2022, has made an impact whenever given chances in the 50-over format for India.
India Pick Three Pacers, Three Spinners as Arshdeep Singh Misses Out in First ODIIndia went with a bowling-heavy combination in the first ODI, picking three fast bowlers and three spinners in the playing XI. The pace attack featured Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna. For spin, the team selected Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar.
