Tezzbuzz Desk- The return of Indian captain Shubman Gill in Ranji Trophy 2026-27 was not as expected. On Sunday, the match between Punjab and Chhattisgarh was played at Mullanpur Stadium in New Chandigarh. In this match, Gill came to bat for Punjab, but he failed to play a big innings. Gill, who came to bat at number four, returned to the pavilion after scoring just 1 run. He spent only 5 balls at the crease. Shubman Gill was clean bowled by Chhattisgarh's left arm spinner Ajay Mandal. Ajay Mandal's ball remained straight after hitting the pitch and came inwards. Gill was trying to defend the ball after understanding its line, but the ball passed through the gap between his bat and pad. After this the ball went straight to the middle stump. This is how Gill's innings came to an end and his efforts to regain momentum by scoring runs in domestic cricket suffered a setback.
Gill did not participate in the first round of Ranji Trophy. However, in the second round he decided to take the field so that he could get practice in red ball cricket. Amidst the busy schedule of international cricket, playing domestic cricket is an opportunity for players to work on their technique and rhythm. But Gill could not take advantage of this opportunity against Chhattisgarh. The Indian team will soon have to leave for a six-week long tour of New Zealand. Shubman Gill will captain the Indian team on this tour. The schedule includes a five-match ODI series and a two-match Test series. In such a situation, this tour is going to be very important for Gill in terms of personal performance as well as captaincy.
The New Zealand tour is important considering the upcoming challenges of the Indian team. The ODI series is being considered important in terms of preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, while in the Test series, the team will be eyeing to strengthen its hopes of reaching the final of the World Test Championship (WTC). However, it would be too early to assess the form or future performance of a player on the basis of low scores in a Ranji Trophy match. Gill will have a chance to improve his preparation before the New Zealand tour. Before facing fast bowlers in foreign conditions, his dismissal against spinners on home ground has definitely become a topic of discussion. Now it remains to be seen how the Indian captain makes a comeback on the New Zealand tour and how much he is able to contribute to the team with his batting.