India batter Smriti Mandhana is set to miss at least the first ODI against New Zealand. ESPNcricinfo understands she is expected to spend a few more days in the New Zealand government's MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) facility.
Mandhana missed the one-off T20I along with quicks Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh, who are also still in MIQ. Yastika Bhatia, who took Mandhana's opening position in the T20I on Wednesday which India lost by 18 runs, said as much after the game.
"Smriti, Meghna Singh, and Renuka Singh are in compulsory MIQ by the New Zealand government. That's all we can say at the moment," Yastika said at the virtual post-match press conference.
While there has not been any official word on the matter from the BCCI yet, it is learnt that travel-related issues are at the heart of Mandhana still being in quarantine with Renuka and Meghna while the other 15 members of the squad have moved to Queenstown for the six-match limited-overs assignment.
No positive Covid-19 cases have been officially reported from India's touring party in New Zealand, where two selectors are also understood to be present.
Mandhana's likely absence from the ODI series opener would see Yastika retaining the opening position. Should Renuka and Meghna, too, be unavailable for selection owing to quarantine, India, with just the addition of veteran Jhulan Goswami, would be required to field the same pace attack as the one-off T20I, with Pooja Vastrakar sharing the duties with Simran Bahadur, who was picked as one of the three reserves in the squad for the bilateral series and the World Cup.
India are due to play five ODIs in Queenstown, starting on February 12, with the series expected to serve as vital preparation ahead of the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand starting March 4.