CHENNAI/AUCKLAND — Shubman Gill has revealed India's plans for the No. 5 and No. 6 batting positions ahead of the One Day International series against New Zealand, as the management evaluates options while keeping a broader perspective on the touring squad's composition.
Gill and KL Rahul, who was already in New Zealand with the India A team, arrived in Auckland where the first ODI is set to be played next week. The duo trained with the side, and head coach Gautam Gambhir worked closely with both players during the session.
While the T20I series is already secured with matches remaining, the ODIs and subsequent Tests hold greater significance for the Indian camp. Both Rahul and Gill are scheduled to leave the ODI squad after the third game to prepare for the two Test matches, a decision that opens opportunities for other batters in the limited-overs setup.
One beneficiary of this planning is Tilak Varma, who has grown leaps and bounds since being appointed T20I vice-captain and has stepped up significantly in the role of a finisher, repaying the faith shown by the coach and selectors.
Gill, who is coming off a Ranji Trophy fixture with Punjab, and Rahul, who had a disappointing outing with the India A team prior to joining the main squad, are among the multi-format players being managed across formats. The Indian camp has its eye on the bigger picture, with the ODI and Test series holding more context than the T20I leg.
The scheduling reflects a structured approach to workload management, with the team balancing immediate limited-overs challenges against longer-format commitments later in the tour.
