In a positive development ahead of the pink-ball, day-night Test at Adelaide Oval against Australia, young Indian batting sensation Shubman Gill was seen batting in nets at Canberra. Team India is currently in Canberra, where they will take on the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball warm-up fixture at Manuka Oval. Through this match, Indian stars will be able to get used to the pink ball and its various tricks before taking on Australia in Adelaide for the second Test.
While India won the first Test at Perth by 295 runs to take a 1-0 series lead and gain a massive mental edge over the Aussies, the bitter and haunting memories of the 2021 Adelaide pink-ball Test, which saw India get bundled out for just 36 runs, will serve as a reminder to the players and fans alike that a lot of work still needs to be done and a remarkable Australian fightback could just be around the corner.
In the nets, Gill was seen refining his solid defence. After missing out on the first Test due to a thumb injury, there were positive signs as not only did Gill seem to handle his bat really well, but his defence also looked pretty solid.
Fans would be anticipating that the 25-year-old plays the Adelaide Test and continues from where he left off at The Gabba in 2021, which saw him play a magnificent knock of 91 to help India chase down 328 runs on the final day, win the series, and also hand Australia their first loss at this venue in over 32 years. That 2020-21 series marked a turning point in Gill’s career, as he scored 259 runs in three Tests at an average of 51.80 with two fifties and slowly established him as one of India’s premier young batters.
Gill has been in fine form this season, having made 806 runs in 10 matches and 19 innings, averaging above 47. He has scored three centuries and fifties, and his best score is 119*.
Batting at number three, a role he will carry on during this series, Gill has scored 926 runs in 14 matches, averaging 42.09, with three centuries and fifties in 25 innings.
Also, according to a report from ESPNcricinfo, Rohit Sharma will be available for the two-day warm-up game against the Prime Ministers XI from November 30 in Canberra, ahead of the day-night Test in Adelaide. Meanwhile, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma started practicing in the nets as he joined the team in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after the birth of his second child.
On the other hand, India head coach Gautam Gambhir flew back home amidst the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 and will miss the two-day tour game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, according to ESPNcricinfo.
The report stated that Gambhir had left the squad to be in India for personal reasons.
A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the India head coach will be back with the squad before the Adelaide Test, which will be starting on December 6.
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