India Test captain Shubman Gill is leaving no stone unturned to prepare for the upcoming red-ball challenge in New Zealand. The 26-year-old is all set to take along four to five personal net bowlers with him on the tour. The expenses for the net bowlers' travel and stay will be borne by the India skipper himself.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does arrange for net bowlers on overseas assignments to help the players, it appears to be the first time that a cricketer has personally borne the expenses for a group of bowlers to accompany him on his tour.
A BCCI official told PTI, speaking on condition of anonymity, 'It is true that Gill has decided to take along his own net bowlers on the tour of New Zealand. However, the BCCI is not privy to the details of how he has planned to fund it. The arrangements have been made entirely by him.'
Shubman Gill prioritizes Test preparations amid packed international schedule
“This is interesting. Gill is not available for India A Tests as he has to play ODIs as well. He is leaving for New Zealand on October 23 or 24. The four or five bowlers who accompany him will have their expenses picked by Gill,” the official said to PTI.
Shubman Gill's preparations for the tour involved playing a lot of cricket at India A level following his sensational hundred in the first Test against England earlier this year. The task ahead in New Zealand will be even more challenging for the India skipper as the pitches are expected to provide a completely different set of demands.
With India's international fixtures and A team commitments overlapping with each other, Gill will not be able to participate in the India A Tests against New Zealand A.
His ODI commitments also forced the captain to make extra preparations ahead of the limited-overs assignments. His early departure for New Zealand on either October 23 or 24 is expected to give him enough time to prepare for the challenges ahead.
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Shubman Gill is expected to get a chance to play red-ball cricket in the Ranji Trophy while he is back in Punjab for the second match of the tournament. He missed the opening tie against Assam due to family commitments. The India captain will be looking to utilize the match against Chhattisgarh, which begins on October 18 in Mullanpur, to get enough practice ahead of the New Zealand tour.
The Indian Test captain will be focusing on his batting as his ability to score runs will be key for India in the upcoming Tests against New Zealand.