Gill would have preferred ODIs before T20Is on New Zealand tour

News

Gill would have preferred ODIs before T20Is on New Zealand tour

India captain Shubman Gill says playing the ODIs at the start would have given them the chance to play a full-strength squad to prepare for the World Cup

Cricinfo staff

Published: Nov 3, 2026, 6:05 AM (22 hrs ago)

3:51

Why does Gill prefer tall fast bowlers?

If it had been up to him, Shubman Gill would have scheduled the T20I series between the ODIs and the Tests during India‘s ongoing tour of New Zealand.

The two big events all teams are building up towards are the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June 2027 and the ODI World Cup in October-November 2027. Because of this, the India captain would have liked to have full-strength squads available for both the ODI and Test series in New Zealand. Instead, thanks to the short turnaround between these two series, India have rested their premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the entire ODI series, and will be without a number of their other Test players, including Gill, for the fourth and fifth ODIs.

“Both [the ODI and Test series] are very important,” Gill said on the eve of the first ODI in Auckland. “If it was in my hands and all the players were fit, I would have liked to have all the players who we are looking at playing during the World Cup [for the full ODI series], but the two Test matches are also very important.

“If it had been one-day first, then T20, and then Test, we could have played all five [ODI] matches [with our strongest squad], but [we couldn’t do this] because the gap between the one-day

  • logo

    ICC Cricket World Cup League 2

  • logo

    Big Bash League

  • logo

    Caribbean Premier League

  • logo

    Indian Premier League

  • logo

    Lanka Premier League

  • logo

    One Day International

  • logo

    One Day International U19

  • logo

    One Day International Women

  • logo

    Pakistan Super League

  • logo

    SA20

  • logo

    Test Series

  • logo

    Test Series Women

  • logo

    The Hundred

  • logo

    Twenty20 International

  • logo

    Twenty20 International Women

  • logo

    Women’s Big Bash League

  • logo

    Women’s Caribbean Premier League

International

ICC Cricket World Cup League 2

ongoing • World

One Day International

ongoing • World

One Day International U19

ongoing • World

One Day International Women

ongoing • World

Test Series

ongoing • World

Test Series Women

ongoing • World

Twenty20 International

ongoing • World

Twenty20 International Women

ongoing • World

ACC Men’s Premier Cup

ongoing • Asia

ACC U19 Asia Cup

ongoing • Asia

African Games Men

ongoing • World

Ashes Series

ongoing • World

Asia Cup

ongoing • Asia

Asia Cup Rising Stars

ongoing • Asia

Asian Legends League

ongoing • World

Commonwealth Games Women’s

ongoing • World

Global Super League

ongoing • World

ICC Champions Trophy

ongoing • World

ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers

ongoing • World

ICC Cricket World Cup Super League

ongoing • World

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

ongoing • World

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier A&B

ongoing • World

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Regional Qualifications

ongoing • World

ICC Mens T20 World Cup Warm-up Matches

ongoing • World

ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup

ongoing • World

ICC U19 World Cup

ongoing • World

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

ongoing • World

ICC Women’s World Cup

ongoing • World

ICC Womens World Cup Qualifier

ongoing • World

ICC World Cup

ongoing • World

ICC World Cup Warm-up Matches

ongoing • World

ICC World Test Championship

ongoing • World

International Masters League T20

ongoing • World

Legends Cricket Trophy

ongoing • World

Quad-Series

ongoing • World

Quad-Series U19

ongoing • World

Road Safety World Series T20

ongoing • World

Tri-Series

ongoing • World

Tri-Series U19

ongoing • World

Women’s Asia Cup

ongoing • Asia

Womens Ashes

ongoing • World

World Championship of Legends

ongoing • World

World Legend Pro T20 League

ongoing • World

Australia

Big Bash League

ongoing • Australia

Women’s Big Bash League

ongoing • Australia

Darwin & District Cricket Competition

ongoing • Australia

One-Day Cup

ongoing • Australia

Sheffield Shield

ongoing • Australia

T20 Spring Challenge

ongoing • Australia

Top End T20 Series

ongoing • Australia

North & Central America

Caribbean Premier League

ongoing • North & Central America

Women’s Caribbean Premier League

ongoing • North & Central America

Regional Super50

ongoing • North & Central America

The 6ixty

ongoing • North & Central America

The 6ixty Women

ongoing • North & Central America

India

Indian Premier League

ongoing • India

Andhra Premier League

ongoing • India

Andhra T20 League

ongoing • India

Baroda T20 Challenge

ongoing • India

Bengal T20 Challenge

ongoing • India

Delhi Premier League

ongoing • India

Deodhar Trophy

ongoing • India

Duleep Trophy

ongoing • India

Irani Cup

ongoing • India

Jharkhand T20 League

ongoing • India

Legends League Cricket

ongoing • India

Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20

ongoing • India

Odisha Cricket League

ongoing • India

Pondicherry T20 Tournament

ongoing • India

Ranji Trophy

ongoing • India

Saurashtra Premier League

ongoing • India

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

ongoing • India

T20 Mumbai

ongoing • India

Tamil Nadu Premier League

ongoing • India

Uttar Pradesh T20 League

ongoing • India

Women’s Premier League

ongoing • India

Women’s T20 Challenge

ongoing • India

Sri Lanka

Lanka Premier League

ongoing • Sri Lanka

Lanka T10 Super League

ongoing • Sri Lanka

Super Provincial One Day Tournament

ongoing • Sri Lanka

Pakistan

Pakistan Super League

ongoing • Pakistan

National T20 Cup

ongoing • Pakistan

Pakistan Cup

ongoing • Pakistan

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

ongoing • Pakistan

South Africa

SA20

ongoing • South Africa

CSA One Day Cup

ongoing • South Africa

CSA T20 Challenge

ongoing • South Africa

Mzansi Super League

ongoing • South Africa

England

The Hundred

ongoing • England

Bob Willis Trophy

ongoing • England

Charlotte Edwards Cup

ongoing • England

County Championship

ongoing • England

County Championship Division One

ongoing • England

County Championship Division Two

ongoing • England

European Cricket Series Wimbledon

ongoing • England

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy

ongoing • England

Royal London One-Day Cup

ongoing • England

T20 Blast

ongoing • England

T20 Blast Women’s

ongoing • England

The Women’s Hundred

ongoing • England

Women’s Cricket Super League

ongoing • England

Women’s One-Day Cup

ongoing • England

United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi T10 League

ongoing • United Arab Emirates

Emirates D10 Tournament

ongoing • United Arab Emirates

Emirates D20 Tournament

ongoing • United Arab Emirates

International League T20

ongoing • United Arab Emirates

UAE T20x

ongoing • United Arab Emirates

Afghanistan

Afghanistan Premier League

ongoing • Afghanistan

Shpageeza Cricket League

ongoing • Afghanistan

Wakhan National T20 Cup

ongoing • Afghanistan

USA

American Premier League

ongoing • USA

Global Cricket League

ongoing • USA

Major League Cricket

ongoing • USA

Bangladesh

Bangabandhu T20 Cup

ongoing • Bangladesh

Bangladesh Premier League

ongoing • Bangladesh

Canada

Canada Super 60 League

ongoing • Canada

Global T20 Canada

ongoing • Canada

Nepal

Dhangadhi Premier League

ongoing • Nepal

Everest Premier League

ongoing • Nepal

Nepal Premier League

ongoing • Nepal

Czech Republic

ECN Czech Super Series T10 League

ongoing • Czech Republic

European Cricket Series Czech Republic

ongoing • Czech Republic

Germany

ECN Hannover Hitout T10 League

ongoing • Germany

European Cricket Series Dresden

ongoing • Germany

European Cricket Series Frankfurt

ongoing • Germany

European Cricket Series Kiel

ongoing • Germany

European Cricket Series Krefeld

ongoing • Germany

European Cricket Series Kummerfeld

ongoing • Germany

Belgium

EUT20 Belgium

ongoing • Belgium

European Cricket Series Belgium

ongoing • Belgium

Europe

European Cricket Championship

ongoing • Europe

European Cricket League

ongoing • Europe

European T20 Premier League

ongoing • Europe

Spain

European Cricket Series Barcelona

ongoing • Spain

Italy

European Cricket Series Bologna

ongoing • Italy

European Cricket Series Brescia

ongoing • Italy

European Cricket Series Milan

ongoing • Italy

European Cricket Series Rome

ongoing • Italy

European Cricket Series Venice

ongoing • Italy

Bulgaria

European Cricket Series Bulgaria

ongoing • Bulgaria

Netherlands

European Cricket Series Capelle

ongoing • Netherlands

Croatia

European Cricket Series Croatia

ongoing • Croatia

Cyprus

European Cricket Series Cyprus

ongoing • Cyprus

European Cricket Series Cyprus T10 League

ongoing • Cyprus

Finland

European Cricket Series Finland

ongoing • Finland

Finnish Premier League

ongoing • Finland

Gibraltar

European Cricket Series Gibraltar

ongoing • Gibraltar

Hungary

European Cricket Series Hungary

ongoing • Hungary

Malta

European Cricket Series Malta

ongoing • Malta

Norway

European Cricket Series Norway

ongoing • Norway

Portugal

European Cricket Series Portugal

ongoing • Portugal

Portugal T10

ongoing • Portugal

Romania

European Cricket Series Romania

ongoing • Romania

Switzerland

European Cricket Series St Gallen

ongoing • Switzerland

Sweden

European Cricket Series Sweden

ongoing • Sweden

Estonia

European Cricket Series Tallinn

ongoing • Estonia

Austria

European Cricket Series Vienna

ongoing • Austria

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Sixes

ongoing • Hong Kong

Japan

Japan Premier League T20

ongoing • Japan

Zimbabwe

Logan Cup

ongoing • Zimbabwe

Pro50 Championship

ongoing • Zimbabwe

Zim Afro T10

ongoing • Zimbabwe

Malaysia

Malaysian T10 Bash

ongoing • Malaysia

New Zealand

Plunket Shield

ongoing • New Zealand

Super Smash

ongoing • New Zealand

The Ford Trophy

ongoing • New Zealand

Women’s Super Smash

ongoing • New Zealand

Qatar

Qatar T10 League

ongoing • Qatar

Vanuatu

Vanuatu Blast T10

ongoing • Vanuatu

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Vincy Premier T10 League

ongoing • St. Vincent and the Grenadines

and Test matches was very small.”

South Africa’s 2-1 win in their home Test series against Australia has increased the chances of India – who are presently fourth on the WTC table behind New Zealand, South Africa and Australia – making the WTC final next year. After their two Tests in New Zealand, India have five more Tests in this cycle, all against Australia at home in early 2027.

“The WTC scenario has become very interesting,” Gill said. “The series that happened between Australia and South Africa was really interesting, and has balanced the table very nicely. Hopefully if we play well in the Test series here, and then we play Australia at home, so that gives us a chance of playing in the final.

“Both [the ODI and Test series] are very important, but unfortunately, because we are playing the one-dayers in between [the T20Is and Tests], the players in the Test team are having to miss the last two one-dayers.”

One big concern for India in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup is the fitness of their key seam-bowling allrounder Hardik Pandya, who has been out of action since IPL 2026 thanks to a series of injuries and niggles. The latest one was a shin injury that kept him out of India A’s 50-overs series against Australia A last month.

“Firstly, I think he is a great player,” Gill said of Hardik. “The qualities that he brings to the team, not many players in the world possess those qualities, to be able to have a fast-bowling allrounder who can bowl [in any phase] of the game, with the new ball, middle overs and death overs, and the kind of batting he has.

“It’s been very unfortunate that he hasn’t been able to play since the IPL, and yes we have had multiple conversations. He was supposed to play the India A matches [against Australia A], but just before that he had some niggles again, so hopefully he will be fit soon and he will play some domestic cricket, and then hopefully we will see him back in the side soon.”

With the 2027 World Cup to be played predominantly on the bouncy pitches of South Africa, India have made an effort to try out a number of tall fast bowlers in their ODI squads over recent months, including Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana – who are both injured and out of the current series – and Gurnoor Brar. Gill said these bowlers were invaluable in the middle overs of ODI games.

“When the ball gets old, when there is not much seam or swing movement, then how do you challenge the batter?” Gill said. “You can challenge the batter either if there is something in the wicket – if the ball is seaming, then it becomes difficult for the batter to score – or you can challenge the batter with pace and bounce.

“So identifying the kind of bowlers that can make run-scoring difficult for the batters and that can give us the best opportunity to take wickets in the middle overs – that has been the thinking around trying someone like a Gurnoor or a Prasidh, which gives us a bit more than someone who is bowling at maybe 135 [kph] when the wicket is flat.

“I have played in the middle overs a lot and I have seen, if those bowlers can hit the right areas – obviously hitting the right areas is the key – if tall fast bowlers can hit the right areas, it is a lot more difficult to score runs than someone who is bowling at 135, 130 [kph].

“You have to be really precise with your shot-making. You have to be really on top of your game to be able to score against someone who is 140 [kph]-plus, who is 6’1″, 6’2″, 6’3″. And there is a lot more risk when you are trying to score freely [against] that kind of bowler.”

Shubman GillIndiaIndia tour of New ZealandICC World Test Championship

MOST READ

Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan move up in Purple Cap race

April 9, 2026 • 7 months ago

For Yastika Bhatia, every setback is ‘fuel to come back stronger’

July 18, 2026 • 4 months ago

Sri Lanka claim ODI series 1-0 after another washout in Kingston

June 8, 2026 • 5 months ago

Bumrah named in full-strength India T20I squad for Asian Games

June 6, 2026 • 5 months ago

Northants denied by elements as promotion race goes to wire

September 18, 2026 • 2 months ago

Mahmud six sets up Kent for three-day win over Lancashire

June 14, 2026 • 5 months ago

About Jayabaji News

Jayabaji News is the ultimate destination for cricket enthusiasts, offering real-time updates, in-depth analysis, and expert insights on all things cricket. Whether you’re following international tournaments, domestic leagues, or T20 franchise competitions, we bring you comprehensive coverage with fast and accurate updates. Our platform features live scores, match highlights, expert predictions, and seamless live streaming, ensuring you never miss a moment of the action. Stay ahead with our cricket blog and Exclusive video.

At Jayabaji News, we are committed to delivering reliable and up-to-date information, making it easier for fans to stay informed. Whether you’re a fan of Test cricket, ODIs, or T20s, Jayabaji News is your go-to source for all things cricket. Stay updated with Jayabaji News, explore expert insights, and enjoy the best of cricket with Jayabaji News.

Information

Email

[email protected]

Follow Us

© 2026 jayabajinews. All rights reserved.