Shubman Gill has decided there will be no cooling-off period after India’s disappointing ODI series defeat to New Zealand. The Indian captain will turn up for Punjab in their Ranji Trophy clash against Saurashtra in Rajkot from January 22. Gill could’ve easily opted for rest after battling in the ODI series but it has come as a fresh news since he missed some action following the neck injury he had in the series against South Africa.
According to PTI, Gill travelled straight from Indore to Rajkot, an eight-hour journey with no direct flights, to join the Punjab squad. Like Gill, who isn’t part of India’s T20 World Cup, other international stars are likely to grace the Indian domestic tournament as well. Mohammed Siraj will lead Hyderabad in the second leg, while Ravindra Jadeja has already confirmed his return for Saurashtra.
“Shubman decided against taking any break post ODI series and it took him eight hours to reach Rajkot from Indore as there aren’t any direct flights available,” a source close to the Punjab team told PTI.
Punjab really need Gill more than ever. After five matches, the former champions sit sixth in Group B with 11 points and must win both the remaining games to stay alive in the race for knockouts. Gill’s presence at the top order could be the difference for Punjab, who are already stacked with brimming talents.
Shubman Gill in focus
Gill’s first months as India captain have been awful. In his maiden ODI series, India were outclassed by Australia Down Under. Then, he got a Test hammering from South Africa at home and now a 1-2 defeat to a second-string New Zealand. Individually, he managed two fifties in the series but failed to convert starts, which was frustrating to see. Since 2025, Gill averages 38.6 in ODIs with only one hundred from his last 14 innings.
This will be his first red-ball game since the neck injury during the South Africa Tests. Rajkot also brings Ravindra Jadeja, who endured a poor ODI series with just 43 runs and zero wickets, returns for Saurashtra seeking his own reset.
