Shubman Gill Advocates for T20 Matches Between ODIs and Tests on New Zealand Tour
Indian captain Shubman Gill emphasizes the need for T20 matches to prepare for upcoming ODIs and Tests against New Zealand.
Auckland, November 3 (Daily Kiran) : Indian ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill expressed his desire for T20 matches to be scheduled between ODIs and Tests during the New Zealand tour. He believes this would allow the Indian team to field its strongest lineup for the last two ODIs and provide players ample time to prepare for the crucial Test series.
As the race for the World Test Championship (WTC) final intensifies and preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup ramp up, both formats are critical for India. Currently, the team is fourth in the WTC standings and gearing up for the World Cup.
However, the back-to-back scheduling of ODIs and Tests in New Zealand has limited players’ preparation time for each format. To address this, India has decided to rest some key Test players for the final two ODIs of the five-match series.
Before the ODI series kicks off on Wednesday, Gill stated that he wished for a T20 match to be played between the ODIs and Tests. This would enable India to field its full-strength team for all five ODIs.
Speaking to reporters in Auckland ahead of the first ODI, Gill remarked, “Both the ODI and Test series are vital. If it were up to me and all players were fit, I would want them to play the entire ODI series. However, the two Test matches are also very important. If there were an ODI first, then a T20, and then the Tests, we could have fielded our strongest team for all five ODIs, but unfortunately, the gap between the ODI series and the Tests is too short.”
India will miss several key players, including Gill and KL Rahul, in the last two ODIs, which conclude on November 15, before the Test series begins on November 19.
Gill acknowledged the importance of both series but lamented that the scheduling forces Test players to skip the final two ODIs.
He is also keeping an eye on the WTC final, with hopes boosted by South Africa’s recent 2-1 series victory over Australia. “The series between Australia and South Africa was really interesting and has balanced the table quite well. Hopefully, if we perform well in the Test series here and then face Australia at home, it will give us a chance to reach the final. The atmosphere around the WTC has become very intriguing,” he added.
