Shubman Gill prefers T20Is between ODIs and Tests in New Zealand tour
The India captain said a different schedule would have allowed the team to field a full-strength squad for the final two ODIs.
India captain Shubman Gill said he would have preferred the T20Is to be scheduled between the ODI and Test series during the tour of New Zealand. According to The Hawk, Gill noted that the current back-to-back schedule for ODIs and Tests leaves a short turnaround for players to prepare for both formats separately.
Speaking in Auckland on the eve of the first ODI, Gill said that if the schedule had been one-dayers, followed by T20Is and then Tests, the team could have played all five ODIs with their strongest squad. He stated that because the gap between the one-day series and the two-match Test series is small, some players are missing the last two ODIs.
India has opted to rest several first-choice Test players for the final two matches of the five-match ODI series. Gill, along with KL Rahul, will miss these matches. The ODI series ends on November 15, while the Test matches begin on November 19.
Gill described both the ODI and Test series as very important. He added that the World Test Championship (WTC) scenario has become interesting after South Africa defeated Australia 2-1 in a recent series. He said that playing well in the New Zealand Test series and the upcoming home series against Australia could provide a chance to play in the WTC final in June 2027.
