Team India captain Shubman Gill is keen for Test regulars to feature in the Ranji Trophy to gain more red-ball match practice amid recent struggles in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Gill feels that domestic exposure is important to keep players prepared for longer formats and for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
With Gill slowly settling in as Test captain, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is willing to give him greater freedom to shape the team in line with his ideas. The young batter took over the leadership role at the start of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship in June, following Rohit Sharma’s retirement.
Shubman Gill Urges Players to Play More Ranji Trophy Matches
India will next play a red-ball match in August, when they tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series. According to a Times of India report, Gill wants regular players to stay match-ready in the longer format. He is keen on giving them enough red-ball exposure before the next international assignment.
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Several current India players are expected to feature in the upcoming Ranji Trophy round. Gill wants them to play at least one domestic match before they link up with their respective teams for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.
“Captain Shubman Gill is keen to ensure that the regulars get sufficient red-ball game time before the next assignment,” the report stated.
“The upcoming round of the Ranji Trophy will feature many current India stars as Gill wants them to play at least one fixture before they join their respective Indian Premier League (IPL) teams for the 2026 edition.”
Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir, and Ajit Agarkar Order Red-Ball Preparation Ahead of IPL
In the past, several players have skipped red-ball preparation ahead of the IPL. Before the ODI series against New Zealand began, head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and Shubman Gill discussed the issue and agreed on the need for better planning.
Gill is not part of the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. He is currently leading India in ODIs and Tests. The batter is already shaping plans for the ongoing World Test Championship cycle and the ODI World Cup.
Gill has repeatedly highlighted the importance of proper preparation before Test series. Ahead of the New Zealand ODIs, he also said they need a flexible calendar to help players manage workloads while staying ready for longer formats.
“One of the suggestions that I was very keen on is, if you would see in the last two Test series that we played, we didn’t have that much time to prepare,” Gill said during the pre-series press conference.
Kuldeep Yadav given lifeline by BCCI after NZ ODIs disaster
India’s team management is putting clear focus on improving their ODI plans, especially in the middle overs. They want a reliable first-change seamer who can take wickets and apply pressure. The team management continues to back Kuldeep Yadav despite having a poor series against New Zealand.
They also want to groom fast bowlers for the future. Harshit Rana has been identified as a middle-overs option because of his ability to hit the deck and vary his pace. Prasidh Krishna is also being backed regularly, as his extra bounce and speed can trouble batters.
Mohammed Siraj will remain a key part of the ODI setup. The new ball-change rule has brought reverse swing back into ODIs, and Siraj has the skill set to use it effectively.
Along with Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna, India have identified a strong fast-bowling core for the coming years. Under Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir, the main aim is to create consistent breakthroughs in the middle overs.
Also read: Rohit Sharma indirectly labels Suryakumar Yadav a burden on Team India
