Former India A captain Priyan Panchal has criticized the selection of India's playing XI for the first ODI against New Zealand, calling the exclusion of Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, and Arshdeep Singh 'unjustifiable'. Panchal acknowledged the talent of players like Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna but questioned the team composition, which featured three spinners and three seamers, including Sundar over Patel, and Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna alongside Mohammed Siraj, with Arshdeep Singh not playing. The selection is seen as a potential reshuffle ahead of upcoming World Cups.