It is learned that Iyer had complained of stiffness in his back soon after the final ODI against Sri Lanka on Sunday. Keeping in mind that he is part of the Test squad for the series against Australia in February, the BCCI medical staff asked him to go to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru as a precautionary measure. Iyer, who reached the NCA on Monday, is to rejoin the Indian team in Nagpur for a preparatory camp ahead of the first Test against Australia on February 9.
Patidar is yet to make his international debut in his place in the ODI team. The 29-year-old Patidar was part of the squad for the ODI series in Bangladesh last December but did not get a chance. He has 1648 runs in 51 List A games at an average of 34.33 and a strike rate of 97.45.
India’s first ODI against New Zealand is in Hyderabad on January 18, followed by matches in Raipur (January 21) and Indore (January 24).
India’s updated ODI team against New Zealand
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav , Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Umran Malik.
