NEW DELHI: India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has opted against taking time off following the recent ODI series defeat to New Zealand and will instead turn out for Punjab in their upcoming Ranji Trophy fixture against Saurashtra in Rajkot, beginning Thursday.
Gill featured in all three matches of the 1–2 series loss and has now switched his focus straight back to red-ball cricket. With no place in India's T20 World Cup squad, the 26-year-old has chosen to make himself available for domestic duty.
Gill's return comes at a crucial stage of the Ranji Trophy, with Punjab still mathematically in contention for a knockout berth. The India skipper is eager to bolster the side's chances and lead from the front as they push to keep their campaign alive.
"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 currently sit sixth in Group B with 11 points from five matches, leaving them with little margin for error.
With three league fixtures still remaining, the former champions must secure outright wins in all their remaining games to keep alive any realistic hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
Gill's presence at the top of the order is therefore seen as crucial to Punjab's ambitions.
The match against Saurashtra, the reigning domestic heavyweights, will also mark Gill's first red-ball appearance since he sustained a neck injury during the Test series against South Africa, which ruled him out of competitive cricket for a lengthy period.
His return is expected to significantly bolster Punjab's batting line-up, which has been inconsistent so far this season.
Despite his growing responsibilities at the international level, the Indian captain has often stressed the importance of domestic cricket in maintaining form and match fitness.
(With PTI Inputs)
