‘ODIs first, then T20Is and Tests’: Gill lays down preference for New Zealand tour

Auckland: India ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill stated that he would have preferred T20Is to be scheduled between the ODIs and Test matches on the tour of New Zealand, allowing the Indian team to field full-strength squads for the last two ODIs of the five-match series while giving them enough time to prepare for a crucial two-match Test series.

With the race for the World Test Championship final heating up and the ODI World Cup 2027 preparations in full swing, Tests and ODIs are the two preferred formats for teams, and India are no different.

India are still in the fight for the WTC final in June 2027 and are currently fourth, while they also prepare for the 2027 World Cup. However, as the ODIs and Tests on the New Zealand tour run back-to-back, there is a short turnaround for the players to prepare for both formats separately.

India have opted to rest a few of their first-choice Test players for the last two ODIs of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. Speaking ahead of the start of the ODI series from Wednesday onwards, India captain Gill stated that he would have liked the T20Is to be played in between the ODIs and Tests for India to field a full-strength team.

“Both (the ODI and Test series) are very important,” Gill told reporters 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 (series) and Test matches was very small,” he added.

India will be missing the likes of Gill and KL Rahul, among others, for the last two ODIs of the series. The ODIs end on November 15, and the Tests will begin from November 19 onwards. “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,” he added.

Gill also has an eye on the WTC final as India’s chances for the title clash have increased a bit after South Africa defeated Australia 2-1 in a recently concluded series. “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, that gives us a chance of playing in the final,” he added.