India’s Test captain leads by example as focus shifts to strengthening long-format skills ahead of future challenges
Guwahati: India’s Test captain Shubman Gill has urged the regular members of the Indian Test squad to play at least one Ranji Trophy match before shifting their focus to the Indian Premier League. This move has been emphasised to keep their skills in red-ball cricket in top form, as there have been concerns about the reduction in their skills in the longer format of the game due to the white-ball-heavy calendar.
Gill believes that domestic red-ball cricket is essential for technical discipline and match temperament, especially for those players who play a lot of limited-overs cricket throughout the year. To make his point, Gill has decided to lead by example and will be playing for Punjab in their Group B Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra in Rajkot from January 22 to 25. The match is likely to attract some attention, as Gill will be facing India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.
Apart from his immediate plans for the Indian team, Gill also has his vision for the future of Indian cricket. While looking forward to the 2027 ODI World Cup, Gill has stated that the Indian team should have a solid pace attack. He has named Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh as the building blocks of a potent pace attack. He also expressed confidence in wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, backing him as a crucial asset in the team’s long-term plans across formats.
Gill’s call for increased Ranji cricket participation is a reflection of the renewed focus on domestic cricket as the bedrock of India’s Test success. The message is clear: excellence in the longest format of the game has to start at home.
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