IND vs NZ: Santner, Bracewell to lead as Black Caps announce ODI and T20I squads for India tour

The Black Caps announced their 15-member squads on Tuesday (Dec 23) for the upcoming tour of India, which includes a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series starting on 11 Jan, 2026. Jayden Lennox has earned his maiden international call-up following his impressive performances in domestic cricket. Head coach Rob Walter said the team has been tracking Lennox for some time and believes he has the potential to become a consistent player for New Zealand.

“Jayden has been an identified player of interest for some time and has some good New Zealand “A” experience under his belt. He's consistently been one of the top performers in white-ball cricket domestically for a number of seasons,” Walter said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket.

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Mitchell Santner has been rested for the three-match ODI series, while former captain Kane Williamson has not been included in either squad. In Santner’s absence, all-rounder Michael Bracewell will lead the side in the 50-over format. Matt Henry, Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra have also been rested for the ODI series.

New Zealand ODI squad vs India

Michael Bracewell (captain), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae and Will Young

Meanwhile, the T20I series against India will serve as New Zealand’s final opportunity to test their combinations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Kiwis are placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

Mitchell Santner has returned to lead the team, with world number two T20I bowler Jacob Duffy and experienced fast bowler Matt Henry included. James Neesham and Ish Sodhi have also made their return to the T20I squad.

Head coach Rob Walter said the T20I series is an important step in preparing for the T20 World Cup. He added that playing in subcontinental conditions will help the team gain valuable experience.

“Playing in the subcontinent is obviously very different to what we are used to in New Zealand, so any opportunity we can get to expose our players to those conditions can only be a good thing, especially ahead of a T20 World Cup in the subcontinent,” Walter said.

New Zealand T20I squad vs India

Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson and Ish Sodhi