Pune

Before the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed that batter Shubman Gill is fit to play. Gill missed the first Test in Bengaluru due to neck stiffness. His absence was felt as Virat Kohli struggled at number three, leading to India’s eight-wicket loss—their first home defeat to the Kiwis since 1988.

During a pre-match press conference, Ryan stated that Gill looks good to go for the next game. He has some slight discomfort but batted for a long time in the nets in Bengaluru. I think he will be fine, Ryan added, further saying that bringing in spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar was not a desperate measure. Instead, it was a strategic move to have a bowler who could turn the ball away from New Zealand’s left-handed batters, like Tom Latham and Devon Conway. Sundar earned his spot after scoring an impressive 152 runs against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, showcasing his skills both as a batter and a spinner. He has scored 265 runs in four Tests at an average of 66.25, with a top score of 96 not out.

Regarding Rishabh Pant, who recently experienced knee discomfort, Ryan expressed optimism about his availability to keep wickets in the second Test. He also mentioned that KL Rahul’s batting form is not a concern, noting the healthy competition for spots in the squad.

BOX

India’s squad for the upcoming Tests includes Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, and Washington Sundar.