New Delhi, 6 November 2026: Indian ODI team captain Shubhman Gilley believes that the current ODI series against New Zealand will prove to be very important in terms of preparations for the upcoming World Cup next year. Gill said that the conditions in New Zealand are very similar to the pitches and environment they will encounter during the World Cup, which will give the Indian team an opportunity to prepare themselves in the best way before the tournament.
Keeping in mind the World Cup to be held in October-November next year, Gill said that playing in New Zealand in early November will prove to be very beneficial for the Indian players. Normally India tours South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in December-January, but this time the timing of the series is very close to the possible weather of the World Cup.
In a video released by BCCI on social media platform India had won the rain-affected match played in Auckland on Wednesday in the first match of the five-match ODI series. By surpassing the revised target of 143 runs under the DLS rule, the Indian team has taken a 1-0 lead in the series. Now the second ODI will be played between the two teams in Wellington on Saturday, although the threat of rain is looming on this match also.
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Gill had arrived early to study for Red Ball.
Giles revealed that he had reached New Zealand before joining the team, so that he could work on his batting through additional practice sessions. He especially wanted to study with the red ball, as he had not played much Test cricket in New Zealand yet. He said, “I wanted to do four practice sessions before joining the team, so that I could properly understand the behavior of the pitches and red balls here.”
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Expressed full confidence in fast bowlers
The Indian captain praised the team's fast bowling line-up and expressed confidence in Anshul Kamboj, Aaqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh. Gill said that there is good bounce on the pitches here, so the skills of these fast bowlers are perfect for these conditions.
Stating that the T-20 series victory has boosted the team's confidence, Giles added that coming back from difficult situations and winning the series has been very important for the morale of the players. The Indian team will now enter the field with the intention of winning the next match in Wellington and strengthening its hold in the series.