India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand could create a preparation challenge for captain Shubman Gill, with the tight schedule leaving little time between the white-ball and red-ball fixtures. According to a report by Jagran News, the team management has raised concerns over the limited gap before the Test series.
Also, a few Indian players, including Shubman Gill, could skip the final two ODIs against New Zealand and start their preparations for the Test series. In the absence of Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer will lead India in the final two ODIs against New Zealand.
The Men in Blue lost the T20I series against Ireland 2-0 before suffering a 4-0 T20I sweep and a 2-1 ODI series defeat in England. With India fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings, the upcoming Test matches against New Zealand will be crucial in keeping their hopes of reaching the final alive.
New Zealand Tour Schedule Leaves Shubman Gill and Key Players With Limited Test Preparation
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India’s packed New Zealand tour has raised concerns over the preparation time available to Shubman Gill and other multi-format players ahead of the two-match Test series. The main concern is the short gap between the end of the ODI series and the start of the Tests.
India will begin the tour with five T20Is from October 22, followed by five ODIs from November 4. The two-match Test series will then begin in Wellington on November 19, leaving only four days between the final ODI and the first Test. There are also no warm-up matches scheduled before the red-ball series.
Players such as Gill, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj are expected to feature in both the ODI and Test squads. The tight schedule could leave them with limited time to switch from white-ball cricket to the demands of the longer format.
India Plan to Split Support Staff for Test Preparation
The team management is reportedly considering splitting the support staff to give the Test squad more time to prepare. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, bowling coach Morne Morkel, assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak and fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh could be divided into two groups.
Two coaches are expected to remain with the ODI squad in Mount Maunganui for the final two matches, while the other two could travel to Wellington early to begin preparations with the Test group. Some Test players, including Gill, could also arrive ahead of the rest of the squad to get additional red-ball practice.
The lack of a practice match makes the situation more difficult. Players moving from T20Is and ODIs into Test cricket will have to adjust quickly to longer spells, extended time at the crease and different tactical demands.
New Zealand Schedule Could Force India to Change ODI Combination
The report stated that the scheduling could have been handled differently to give the players more preparation time. If the ODIs had been played before the T20Is, the players involved in both the 50-over and Test squads could have moved directly into red-ball preparation.
Another option would have been to leave an additional four to five days between the final ODI and the first Test. That would have given the Test players enough time to train with the red ball without affecting the ODI squad.
The current schedule could also force India to make changes to their ODI combination for the final two matches. If some key players leave the ODI squad early to prepare for the Tests, the team could have to field a less experienced combination.
