The Indian cricket board BCCI revealed why batter Shubman Gill didn't take the field on Day 2 of the second and final test against New Zealand, which is underway at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.&nbsp;

Providing an update on Gill, BCCI on its official Twitter handle wrote: "Shubman Gill suffered a blow to his right elbow while fielding in the first innings. He has not recovered completely and hence not taken the field as a precautionary measure."&nbsp;

During the match, New Zealand's star spinner Ajaz Patel claimed the rare honour of bagging all 10 wickets in an innings and bowled out India for 325. However, the Indian bowling unit displayed a stunning performance to take control of the second Test.&nbsp;

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In reply, the New Zealand batters collapsed to 62 all out and India were 332 ahead by stumps after not enforcing the follow-on and reaching 69 for 0 in their second innings. For India, Mayank Agarwal (38)* and Cheteshwar Pujara (29)* opened during India's second innings.&nbsp;Hosts now lead Kiwis by 332.&nbsp;

At stumps, Agarwal said, "This innings was all about grit and determination. I haven't changed much, just tried to stay side on, but it's more mental than technical. For my batting, if I don't attack I'll get stuck, so if I don't put Ajaz under the pump, he will keep bowling in good areas."

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🚨 Update 🚨: Shubman Gill suffered a blow to his right elbow while fielding in the first innings. He has not recovered completely and hence not taken the field as a precautionary measure.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Paytm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Paytm</a> <a href="https://t.co/UqSzXYTce2">pic.twitter.com/UqSzXYTce2</a>
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"The Indian domestic circuit is tough, and the years anyone spends there helps them. It's hard and the experience and learnings you get is phenomenal, and I've carried that into international cricket. We will look to pile on as many runs as we can tomorrow and put the pressure on New Zealand," he added.&nbsp;

The Indian cricket board BCCI revealed why batter Shubman Gill didn't take the field on Day 2 of the second and final test against New Zealand, which is underway at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Indian cricket board BCCI revealed why batter Shubman Gill didn't take the field on Day 2 of the second and final test against New Zealand, which is underway at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Providing an update on Gill, BCCI on its official Twitter handle wrote: "Shubman Gill suffered a blow to his right elbow while fielding in the first innings. He has not recovered completely and hence not taken the field as a precautionary measure." During the match, New Zealand's star spinner Ajaz Patel claimed the rare honour of bagging all 10 wickets in an innings and bowled out India for 325. However, the Indian bowling unit displayed a stunning performance to take control of the second Test. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma to replace Ajinkya Rahane as India's Test vice-captain for South Africa tour - Report In reply, the New Zealand batters collapsed to 62 all out and India were 332 ahead by stumps after not enforcing the follow-on and reaching 69 for 0 in their second innings. For India, Mayank Agarwal (38)* and Cheteshwar Pujara (29)* opened during India's second innings. Hosts now lead Kiwis by 332. At stumps, Agarwal said, "This innings was all about grit and determination. I haven't changed much, just tried to stay side on, but it's more mental than technical. For my batting, if I don't attack I'll get stuck, so if I don't put Ajaz under the pump, he will keep bowling in good areas." ALSO READ: Poorest in last 4-5 years: Ganguly opens up on India's disappointing show in T20 World Cup 2021 🚨 Update 🚨: Shubman Gill suffered a blow to his right elbow while fielding in the first innings. He has not recovered completely and hence not taken the field as a precautionary measure.#TeamIndia #INDvNZ @Paytm pic.twitter.com/UqSzXYTce2 — BCCI (@BCCI) December 4, 2021 × "The Indian domestic circuit is tough, and the years anyone spends there helps them. It's hard and the experience and learnings you get is phenomenal, and I've carried that into international cricket. We will look to pile on as many runs as we can tomorrow and put the pressure on New Zealand," he added.

'He has not recovered completely': BCCI reveals why Shubman Gill didn't take field on Day 2 of Mumbai Test

Indian batter Shubman Gill opened up about missed opportunity of hitting a big score during the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand on Friday (December 3) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Gill scored 44 runs off 71 balls after hosts elected to bat first on a weather-hit day when only 70 overs were possible.

After the end of the day, Gill, said, "I was batting well and it was an opportunity for me to go big but unfortunately I missed out on this. There wasn't much in it for the pacers but there was something for the spinners. The odd ball was turning and gripping initially but as the match went on, the wicket settled a bit."

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He added, "It's important to play the line of the ball, if it's spinning you don't go with the spin, it's important to play the line. If it spins too much, you just hope that it doesn't take your outside edge and you try not to get lbw especially against to left-arm spinners."&nbsp;

This is Gill's 10th Test match and talking about his journey in whites so far, he said, "Unfortunately I haven't got a hundred yet in these 10 matches. It's not because of my concentration, I have been unlucky sometimes or just not been able to convert those. I feel converting hundreds into big ones is actually one of my strengths."

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Mayank Agarwal's unbeaten 120 helped India reach 221 for four at stumps on the Day 1 with wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, on 25. New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel took all four wickets.&nbsp;

Agarwal lifted India from a precarious 80-3 when Patel struck twice in one over with his left-arm spin to send back Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli for ducks. He smashed 14 boundaries and four sixes including one off Patel at long off after being challenged to the shot.

Indian batter Shubman Gill opened up about missed opportunity of hitting a big score during the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand on Friday (December 3) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Indian batter Shubman Gill opened up about missed opportunity of hitting a big score during the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand on Friday (December 3) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Gill scored 44 runs off 71 balls after hosts elected to bat first on a weather-hit day when only 70 overs were possible. After the end of the day, Gill, said, "I was batting well and it was an opportunity for me to go big but unfortunately I missed out on this. There wasn't much in it for the pacers but there was something for the spinners. The odd ball was turning and gripping initially but as the match went on, the wicket settled a bit." ALSO READ | Commandos, sharpshooters, over 1500 security personnel? PAK's arrangements for WI home series revealed: Report He added, "It's important to play the line of the ball, if it's spinning you don't go with the spin, it's important to play the line. If it spins too much, you just hope that it doesn't take your outside edge and you try not to get lbw especially against to left-arm spinners." This is Gill's 10th Test match and talking about his journey in whites so far, he said, "Unfortunately I haven't got a hundred yet in these 10 matches. It's not because of my concentration, I have been unlucky sometimes or just not been able to convert those. I feel converting hundreds into big ones is actually one of my strengths." ALSO READ | Mayank Agarwal most attacking Indian batter since Sehwag in Tests, says former India batting coach Mayank Agarwal's unbeaten 120 helped India reach 221 for four at stumps on the Day 1 with wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha, on 25. New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel took all four wickets. Agarwal lifted India from a precarious 80-3 when Patel struck twice in one over with his left-arm spin to send back Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli for ducks. He smashed 14 boundaries and four sixes including one off Patel at long off after being challenged to the shot.

INDvsNZ, 2nd Test: Shubman Gill rues missed opportunity of scoring big, says but 'unfortunately, I missed out'

India and New Zealand were involved in a thrilling first Test at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. Electing to bat first, Ajinkya Rahane-led India posted 345 all-out whereas New Zealand were bundled out for 296 in their first essay. In their second innings, India declared at 234-7, giving the Kiwis a stiff 284-run target. Riding on Tom Latham's 52 and Rachin Ravindra's 18 not out, off 91 balls, the visitors ensured a draw in the last half hour of Day Five.

Ahead of the second and final Test, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India have some selection issues to address. With regular captain Virat Kohli set to return for the series finale, on December 3, the Rahul Dravid-led think tank will have to drop a batter from the top or the middle-order. In this regard, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has suggested an 'out-of-the-box' name who can accompany Shubman Gill at the order, if Mayank Agarwal is dropped.

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“It’s a toss-up between Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane. I would think on those two. That’s the toss-up that Virat Kohli has to make. Whether he wants to go with Mayank Agarwal and give him another go or whether [he thinks] Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t got enough runs in the last 10-12 Test matches after that Melbourne Test so he goes out. It’s a tough call, definitely a tough call. It depends on whom the sword falls on,” said Wasim Jaffer in a chat with ESPNCricinfo.

“I think I will open with Saha if at all Mayank Agarwal goes out because then everybody bats out of their position. Pujara will open and then&nbsp;Ajinkya Rahane&nbsp;will bat at some other position… If Saha opens then everyone bats at the same position. And you can do that in Indian conditions with Saha. Is it a long-term call? Definitely not because India will go to South Africa. So, they’ll have to reconsider their top-six for Mumbai,” concluded the meme-specialist.

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Given that spinners have been the go-to-bowlers, India is likely to retain R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. On the other hand, they are most likely to again go ahead with two pacers, hence, the axe will fall on one of the batters. Given that Mayank returned with scores of 13 and 17 in the series opener, the right-hander might lose his spot whereas Saha can be an interesting choice as a makeshift opener.

India and New Zealand were involved in a thrilling first Test at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. Electing to bat first, Ajinkya Rahane-led India posted 345 all-out whereas New Zealand were bundled out for 296 in their first essay.

India and New Zealand were involved in a thrilling first Test at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. Electing to bat first, Ajinkya Rahane-led India posted 345 all-out whereas New Zealand were bundled out for 296 in their first essay. In their second innings, India declared at 234-7, giving the Kiwis a stiff 284-run target. Riding on Tom Latham's 52 and Rachin Ravindra's 18 not out, off 91 balls, the visitors ensured a draw in the last half hour of Day Five. Ahead of the second and final Test, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India have some selection issues to address. With regular captain Virat Kohli set to return for the series finale, on December 3, the Rahul Dravid-led think tank will have to drop a batter from the top or the middle-order. In this regard, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has suggested an 'out-of-the-box' name who can accompany Shubman Gill at the order, if Mayank Agarwal is dropped. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham stand tall as visitors earn a draw vs Rahane & Co. “It’s a toss-up between Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane. I would think on those two. That’s the toss-up that Virat Kohli has to make. Whether he wants to go with Mayank Agarwal and give him another go or whether [he thinks] Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t got enough runs in the last 10-12 Test matches after that Melbourne Test so he goes out. It’s a tough call, definitely a tough call. It depends on whom the sword falls on,” said Wasim Jaffer in a chat with ESPNCricinfo. “I think I will open with Saha if at all Mayank Agarwal goes out because then everybody bats out of their position. Pujara will open and then Ajinkya Rahane will bat at some other position… If Saha opens then everyone bats at the same position. And you can do that in Indian conditions with Saha. Is it a long-term call? Definitely not because India will go to South Africa. So, they’ll have to reconsider their top-six for Mumbai,” concluded the meme-specialist. ALSO READ | He should make way for Kohli: Ex all-rounder names senior batter who should be dropped for 2nd Test Given that spinners have been the go-to-bowlers, India is likely to retain R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. On the other hand, they are most likely to again go ahead with two pacers, hence, the axe will fall on one of the batters. Given that Mayank returned with scores of 13 and 17 in the series opener, the right-hander might lose his spot whereas Saha can be an interesting choice as a makeshift opener.

IND vs NZ: Wasim Jaffer shares an 'out-of-the-box' suggestion on who could open with Shubman Gill in 2nd Test

Shubman Gill missed the entire England Test series due to injury. However, he got the opening position back when Ajinkya Rahane-led India locked horns with New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener at Green Park, Kanpur on Thursday morning (November 25).

All eyes were on Gill who was making a comeback after injury. Nonetheless, the youngster didn't disappoint and took sometime before settling in to register&nbsp;his third Test half-century. While he was looking comfortable in the middle as his innings progressed, the 22-year-old departed for a well-made 52. After his knock, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra made heads turn by stating that he doesn't seem convinced with Gill as an opener.

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Chopra made the comments while speaking on&nbsp;Star Sports, where he highlighted the flaws in Gill's technique despite his fifty in the opening day of the Kanpur Test.&nbsp;

Chopra stated, "Whenever I see him play, he doesn't look like a Test opener to me. The way he plays inside the line, the outside edge and inside edge are both exposed. But when he plays spin, he is tall and uses his feet well, uses the reach very well, his footwork is impeccable and his defense is also solid. The bat is always in front of the pad," the former Test player added. "In my opinion, he is a middle-order batter, he has been made to open. He has done well as an opener but his true color and form will be seen when he bats in the middle order."

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Riding on Gill's 52, Shreyas Iyer's maiden ton and Ravindra Jadeja's 50, on debut, Ajinkya Rahane-led India posted 345 all-out in the first innings on Day 2, after electing to bat first. In reply, Kane Williamson-led NZ have started on a good note and will look to come close to India's total by the end of second day's play on Friday (November 26).

Shubman Gill missed the entire England Test series due to injury. However, he got the opening position back when Ajinkya Rahane-led India locked horns with New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener at Green Park, Kanpur on Thursday morning (November 25).

Shubman Gill missed the entire England Test series due to injury. However, he got the opening position back when Ajinkya Rahane-led India locked horns with New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener at Green Park, Kanpur on Thursday morning (November 25). All eyes were on Gill who was making a comeback after injury. Nonetheless, the youngster didn't disappoint and took sometime before settling in to register his third Test half-century. While he was looking comfortable in the middle as his innings progressed, the 22-year-old departed for a well-made 52. After his knock, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra made heads turn by stating that he doesn't seem convinced with Gill as an opener. ALSO READ | Ind vs NZ, 1st Test: Shreyas Iyer slams ton on debut, joins Rohit, Azharuddin and other Indians in elite list Chopra made the comments while speaking on Star Sports, where he highlighted the flaws in Gill's technique despite his fifty in the opening day of the Kanpur Test. Chopra stated, "Whenever I see him play, he doesn't look like a Test opener to me. The way he plays inside the line, the outside edge and inside edge are both exposed. But when he plays spin, he is tall and uses his feet well, uses the reach very well, his footwork is impeccable and his defense is also solid. The bat is always in front of the pad," the former Test player added. "In my opinion, he is a middle-order batter, he has been made to open. He has done well as an opener but his true color and form will be seen when he bats in the middle order." ALSO READ | Ind vs NZ: VVS Laxman unimpressed with Ajinkya Rahane's shot selection after Day 1 of Kanpur Test Riding on Gill's 52, Shreyas Iyer's maiden ton and Ravindra Jadeja's 50, on debut, Ajinkya Rahane-led India posted 345 all-out in the first innings on Day 2, after electing to bat first. In reply, Kane Williamson-led NZ have started on a good note and will look to come close to India's total by the end of second day's play on Friday (November 26).

IND vs NZ: 'He doesn't look like an opener' - Aakash Chopra shares ideal batting position for Shubman Gill

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday morning (November 25) at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. Electing to bat first, the Ajinkya Rahane-led hosts went to the lunch break at 82/1, riding on opener Shubman Gill's 52, and ended the day's play at a comfortable position, i.e. being 258-4 courtesy debutant Shreyas Iyer (75 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja's 50*.

With many regulars such as captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul (out due to injury) being out of action, the onus was on the youngsters -- such as Gill, Iyer, Mohammed Siraj -- to grab their opportunities. Day One of the opening Test was all about Iyer and Gill's commitment to bat for a long period and make a mark. While Siraj wasn't in the playing XI, Gill failed to stay for long but slammed an impressive fifty whereas Iyer returned to the pavillion being unbeaten on 75.

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The former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has lavished praise on Indian youngster Gill and feels he will be a vital cog for India while touring abroad. During the lunch break, he told on Star Sports, "I really hope and feel that this guy will go on to have a really good career, especially in Test cricket because I think he can be very vital especially if we keep touring abroad. He has got outstanding backfoot game with his initial movement."

"He is a young guy and he is very talented when it comes to batting. He is trying to figure how to actually correct whatever little technical flaw he has, especially against the fuller delivery. He is coming down the pitch against the fast bowlers and I'm really impressed with the way he is playing against the spinners. He is playing the ball late," added Pathan.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-1st-test-shreyas-iyer-ravindra-jadejas-113-run-stand-takes-hosts-to-2584-at-stumps-on-day-1-431879">IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja's 113-run stand takes hosts to 258/4 at stumps on Day 1</a>

Apart from Gill and Iyer, all-rounder Jadeja also made a statement by registering his 17th half-century in whites and taking India out of troubled waters, along with Iyer, after coming out to bat with hosts reeling at 145-4 in the second session.&nbsp;

The Kohli-less Indian team will aim to cross the 400-run mark and challenge the Kane Williamson-led Black Caps in the first Test.

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday morning (November 25) at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. Electing to bat first, the Ajinkya Rahane-led hosts went to the lunch break at 82/1, riding on opener Shubman Gill's 52, and ended the day's play at a comfortable position, i.

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday morning (November 25) at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. Electing to bat first, the Ajinkya Rahane-led hosts went to the lunch break at 82/1, riding on opener Shubman Gill's 52, and ended the day's play at a comfortable position, i.e. being 258-4 courtesy debutant Shreyas Iyer (75 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja's 50*. With many regulars such as captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul (out due to injury) being out of action, the onus was on the youngsters -- such as Gill, Iyer, Mohammed Siraj -- to grab their opportunities. Day One of the opening Test was all about Iyer and Gill's commitment to bat for a long period and make a mark. While Siraj wasn't in the playing XI, Gill failed to stay for long but slammed an impressive fifty whereas Iyer returned to the pavillion being unbeaten on 75. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli gears up for 2nd Test vs NZ in Mumbai, trains with RCB coach Sanjay Bangar The former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has lavished praise on Indian youngster Gill and feels he will be a vital cog for India while touring abroad. During the lunch break, he told on Star Sports, "I really hope and feel that this guy will go on to have a really good career, especially in Test cricket because I think he can be very vital especially if we keep touring abroad. He has got outstanding backfoot game with his initial movement." "He is a young guy and he is very talented when it comes to batting. He is trying to figure how to actually correct whatever little technical flaw he has, especially against the fuller delivery. He is coming down the pitch against the fast bowlers and I'm really impressed with the way he is playing against the spinners. He is playing the ball late," added Pathan. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja's 113-run stand takes hosts to 258/4 at stumps on Day 1 Apart from Gill and Iyer, all-rounder Jadeja also made a statement by registering his 17th half-century in whites and taking India out of troubled waters, along with Iyer, after coming out to bat with hosts reeling at 145-4 in the second session. The Kohli-less Indian team will aim to cross the 400-run mark and challenge the Kane Williamson-led Black Caps in the first Test.

Gill, Iyer or Siraj? Irfan Pathan names 'vital' cog for Team India while playing overseas Tests

Team India demolished New Zealand in the three T20Is and have now shifted their focus on the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 in Kanpur. The series will give India a chance to not only move forward in the&nbsp;second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), but also take revenge on the Kiwis, who defeated them in the final of the inaugural WTC early this year.

Ahead of the first Test, Ajinkya Rahane-led India have problems of plenty as there are many takers for the opening slots. While KL Rahul is confirmed to open, following his sensational run in the England Tests, he will be accompanied by Shubman Gill or Mayank Agarwal. For the unversed, Mayank did bat in the middle-order in the final Test of the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gill is also being touted to take the middle-order responsibilities given Rohit Sharma is certain to open with Rahul on his return.

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Before the series opener, vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara revealed who among Mayank or Gill will definitely be a part of the team. Pujara told in a virtual press conference that Gill is certain to play. He told while addressing a question, "Can’t reveal that at this stage. But see, he is a talented player and definitely he will be part of the team. So someone like him, you know he doesn’t need to worry too much, he has been playing good cricket for a couple of years since he has made his debut. It was unfortunate that he missed out on England, but he is a talented player, and I don’t think personally I will need to tell him much."

"Rahul bhai is there, he will give the best guidance. So I think he will just have to play his natural game. I can’t reveal the position he will bat at, but he is well prepared and I am sure he is looking forward to this series,” Pujara, who is the vice-captain for the first Test, said in response to a Sportskeeda's query during a virtual presser.

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Given that Mayank wasn't favoured despite Gill's absence during the England Tests, the latter seems to have an upper hand over the Karnataka-born cricketer for the opening slot. It will be interesting to see if Mayank bats lower down the order in the series opener.

India squad for the 1st Test vs New Zealand

Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

The big guns such as regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, etc. are likely to return for the second and final Test in Mumbai, from December 3.

Team India demolished New Zealand in the three T20Is and have now shifted their focus on the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 in Kanpur. The series will give India a chance to not only move forward in the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), but also take revenge on the Kiwis, who defeated them in the final of the inaugural WTC early this year.

Team India demolished New Zealand in the three T20Is and have now shifted their focus on the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 in Kanpur. The series will give India a chance to not only move forward in the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), but also take revenge on the Kiwis, who defeated them in the final of the inaugural WTC early this year. Ahead of the first Test, Ajinkya Rahane-led India have problems of plenty as there are many takers for the opening slots. While KL Rahul is confirmed to open, following his sensational run in the England Tests, he will be accompanied by Shubman Gill or Mayank Agarwal. For the unversed, Mayank did bat in the middle-order in the final Test of the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gill is also being touted to take the middle-order responsibilities given Rohit Sharma is certain to open with Rahul on his return. ALSO READ | BCCI bans pork, beef in any form; Halal meat made complusory for Indian cricket team - Report Before the series opener, vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara revealed who among Mayank or Gill will definitely be a part of the team. Pujara told in a virtual press conference that Gill is certain to play. He told while addressing a question, "Can’t reveal that at this stage. But see, he is a talented player and definitely he will be part of the team. So someone like him, you know he doesn’t need to worry too much, he has been playing good cricket for a couple of years since he has made his debut. It was unfortunate that he missed out on England, but he is a talented player, and I don’t think personally I will need to tell him much." "Rahul bhai is there, he will give the best guidance. So I think he will just have to play his natural game. I can’t reveal the position he will bat at, but he is well prepared and I am sure he is looking forward to this series,” Pujara, who is the vice-captain for the first Test, said in response to a Sportskeeda's query during a virtual presser. ALSO READ | WATCH: Rahul Dravid applauds fielding coach after Ishan Kishan's direct hit dismisses NZ's Mitchell Santner Given that Mayank wasn't favoured despite Gill's absence during the England Tests, the latter seems to have an upper hand over the Karnataka-born cricketer for the opening slot. It will be interesting to see if Mayank bats lower down the order in the series opener. India squad for the 1st Test vs New Zealand Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna The big guns such as regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, etc. are likely to return for the second and final Test in Mumbai, from December 3.

Mayank or Gill? Cheteshwar Pujara reveals which Indian batter will be in playing XI for 1st Test vs NZ

Kolkata Knight Riders have managed to keep their playoffs hope intact after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-shubman-gill-bowlers-guide-kkr-to-6-wicket-win-over-srh-keep-4th-spot-intact-418010">beating Sunrisers Hyderabad</a> (SRH) by six wickets on Sunday (October 3). After the match, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan praised batter Shubman Gill and said he has played "extremely well", leading the crucial chase.&nbsp;

During the post-match presentation, Morgan said, "Shubman played extremely well and led the chase. The depth of the squad to be able to call Shakib is a huge luxury, so he has had a huge impact. We didn't know it wouldn't be played in India, and we have done well in the conditions and adapted well."&nbsp;

Morgan added, "The wicket played slower than we thought, than the wicket two nights ago. It swings early in the powerplay in these conditions, but it was sluggish. We needed to bowl and field well and we did."&nbsp;

"We are focussed on playing good cricket and we've done that in the last three weeks. The game plan has had a good impact in the dressing room and guys are putting their hands up. We have done well to adapt to the slow conditions and I'm happy with that," said Morgan.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pandora-papers-why-is-sachin-tendulkars-name-mentioned-in-report-that-reveals-financial-secrets-418001">IPL 2021: Virat Kohli 'feels amazing' says playoff qualification should give RCB motivation to play fearlessly</a>

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6⃣th win of the season <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a>! 👏 👏 
 
A comfortable victory for <a href="https://twitter.com/Eoin16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eoin16</a> &amp; Co. as they beat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRH</a> by 6⃣ wickets 👍 👍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvSRH</a> 
 
Scorecard 👉 <a href="https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5">https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5</a> <a href="https://t.co/lQINO8DijE">pic.twitter.com/lQINO8DijE</a>
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Played Lad 👌🏻 
 
A calculative half century from KKR 💜 opener <a href="https://twitter.com/ShubmanGill?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShubmanGill</a> 💥👏🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvSRH</a> 
 
Follow the match 👉 <a href="https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5">https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ipko4nS4VH">pic.twitter.com/Ipko4nS4VH</a>
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While chasing a modest target of 116, KKR reached 119 for 4 in 19.4 overs to win the match. Opener Shubman Gill top-scored with 57 from 51 balls while Nitish Rana contributed 25.&nbsp;

The win has placed KKR at the fourth place in the standings with 12 points from 13 games. With three playoff berths already taken by Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the race is on for the fourth and final spot between KKR, Rajasthan Royals and defending champions Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders have managed to keep their playoffs hope intact after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets on Sunday (October 3). After the match, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan praised batter Shubman Gill and said he has played "extremely well", leading the crucial chase.

Kolkata Knight Riders have managed to keep their playoffs hope intact after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets on Sunday (October 3). After the match, KKR skipper Eoin Morgan praised batter Shubman Gill and said he has played "extremely well", leading the crucial chase. During the post-match presentation, Morgan said, "Shubman played extremely well and led the chase. The depth of the squad to be able to call Shakib is a huge luxury, so he has had a huge impact. We didn't know it wouldn't be played in India, and we have done well in the conditions and adapted well." Morgan added, "The wicket played slower than we thought, than the wicket two nights ago. It swings early in the powerplay in these conditions, but it was sluggish. We needed to bowl and field well and we did." "We are focussed on playing good cricket and we've done that in the last three weeks. The game plan has had a good impact in the dressing room and guys are putting their hands up. We have done well to adapt to the slow conditions and I'm happy with that," said Morgan. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: Virat Kohli 'feels amazing' says playoff qualification should give RCB motivation to play fearlessly 6⃣th win of the season @KKRiders! 👏 👏 A comfortable victory for @Eoin16 & Co. as they beat #SRH by 6⃣ wickets 👍 👍 #VIVOIPL #KKRvSRH Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5 pic.twitter.com/lQINO8DijE — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 3, 2021 × Played Lad 👌🏻 A calculative half century from KKR 💜 opener @ShubmanGill 💥👏🏻 #VIVOIPL #KKRvSRH Follow the match 👉 https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5 pic.twitter.com/Ipko4nS4VH — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 3, 2021 × While chasing a modest target of 116, KKR reached 119 for 4 in 19.4 overs to win the match. Opener Shubman Gill top-scored with 57 from 51 balls while Nitish Rana contributed 25. The win has placed KKR at the fourth place in the standings with 12 points from 13 games. With three playoff berths already taken by Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the race is on for the fourth and final spot between KKR, Rajasthan Royals and defending champions Mumbai Indians.

IPL 2021: Eoin Morgan praises Shubman Gill, says KKR done well to adapt to slow conditions

Young Shubman Gill hit a fine half century after an impressive display by the bowlers to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket win over Sunrisres Hyderabad and keep their IPL play-offs hopes alive here on Sunday.

KKR first produced a clinical bowling effort to restrict SRH to a below-par 115 for eight and then rode on Gill's 57 off 51 balls to reach home comfortably.

The win consolidated KKR's position at the fourth place in the standings with 12 points from 13 games.

With three play-off berths already taken by Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the race is on for the fourth and final spot between KKR, Rajasthan Royals and defending champions Mumbai Indians while Punjab Kings are all but out of the tournament.

Defending a small total, SRH bowlers were right on their money from the word go as KKR batsmen struggled to force the pace of the innings.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pandora-papers-why-is-sachin-tendulkars-name-mentioned-in-report-that-reveals-financial-secrets-418001">IPL 2021: Virat Kohli 'feels amazing' says playoff qualification should give RCB motivation to play fearlessly</a>

The opening duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jason Holder were accurate upfront, while debutant Umran Malik's raw pace troubled Gill and Nitish Rana (25) in the middle overs.

Rashid Khan too created enough problems for the KKR batsmen, while Siddharth Kaul was incisive with his line and length, making it difficult for opposition batsmen to open their arms.

Venkatesh Iyer (8) and Rahul Tripathi (7) fell to Holder and Rashid in quick succession after which Gill and Rana found it difficult to rotate the strike as the asking rate climbed up with KKR reaching 44 for 2 at the halfway mark.

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6⃣th win of the season <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KKRiders</a>! 👏 👏 
 
A comfortable victory for <a href="https://twitter.com/Eoin16?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eoin16</a> &amp; Co. as they beat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRH</a> by 6⃣ wickets 👍 👍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvSRH</a> 
 
Scorecard 👉 <a href="https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5">https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5</a> <a href="https://t.co/lQINO8DijE">pic.twitter.com/lQINO8DijE</a>
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With Rana struggling to get going, Gill took the onus on himself to break the shackles and he did it by smacking Holder for two boundaries in the 12th over to bring down the equation to 53 off 42 balls.

Gill continued his attacking instinct and struck Malik for back-to-back boundaries in the next over to ease out the chase.

Gill and Rana looked at ease to finish off the chase before the former flicked one straight to Holder at long-on off Kaul's bowling.

The match witnessed some tense moment when Rana was dismissed in the 18th over but Dinesh Karthik (18 not out) and Eoin Morgan (2 not out) closed down the chase with two balls to spare.

Earlier, SRH skipper Kane Williamson's decision to bat first backfired as they lost wickets at regular intervals, failing to counter KKR's incisive bowling, especially of Tim Southee and the spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine.

Already out of contention for a play-offs berth, SRH witnessed a horrible start to their innings, losing Wriddhiman Saha for a duck in the second ball, LBW to Southee.

Jason Roy (10) was the next to follow, caught by Southee off Shivam Mavi in the fourth over.

Skipper Williamson (26 off 21) tried to resurrect the innings and was looking good before he was run out by Shakib Al Hasan with SRH scoreboard reading 38 for three in 6.5 overs.

Once Williamson departed, it was a struggle for SRH batsmen even though Priyam Garg (21) and Abdul Samad (25) tried to forge a partnership.

Garg was holed out at deep midwicket to Rahul Tripathi off Chakravarthy, while Jason Holder (2) fell to the same bowler in his next over.

Samad tried his best to pick up the tempo in the last five overs, hitting three lusty sixes but eventually perished in search of quick runs, caught by Shubman Gill of Southee's bowling.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (7 not out) and Siddharth Kaul (7 not out) remained unbeaten in a 12-run ninth-wicket partnership.

The spin duo of Shakib (1/20) and Narine were brilliant in the middle overs as SRH batsmen found the going tough against them.

While Narine returned wicketless, he was economical, finishing with impressive figures of 4-0-12-0.

Southee (2/26), Mavi (2/29) and Chakravarthy (2/26) shared six wickets among them.

Young Shubman Gill hit a fine half century after an impressive display by the bowlers to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket win over Sunrisres Hyderabad and keep their IPL play-offs hopes alive here on Sunday.

Young Shubman Gill hit a fine half century after an impressive display by the bowlers to guide Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket win over Sunrisres Hyderabad and keep their IPL play-offs hopes alive here on Sunday. KKR first produced a clinical bowling effort to restrict SRH to a below-par 115 for eight and then rode on Gill's 57 off 51 balls to reach home comfortably. The win consolidated KKR's position at the fourth place in the standings with 12 points from 13 games. With three play-off berths already taken by Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the race is on for the fourth and final spot between KKR, Rajasthan Royals and defending champions Mumbai Indians while Punjab Kings are all but out of the tournament. Defending a small total, SRH bowlers were right on their money from the word go as KKR batsmen struggled to force the pace of the innings. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: Virat Kohli 'feels amazing' says playoff qualification should give RCB motivation to play fearlessly The opening duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jason Holder were accurate upfront, while debutant Umran Malik's raw pace troubled Gill and Nitish Rana (25) in the middle overs. Rashid Khan too created enough problems for the KKR batsmen, while Siddharth Kaul was incisive with his line and length, making it difficult for opposition batsmen to open their arms. Venkatesh Iyer (8) and Rahul Tripathi (7) fell to Holder and Rashid in quick succession after which Gill and Rana found it difficult to rotate the strike as the asking rate climbed up with KKR reaching 44 for 2 at the halfway mark. 6⃣th win of the season @KKRiders! 👏 👏 A comfortable victory for @Eoin16 & Co. as they beat #SRH by 6⃣ wickets 👍 👍 #VIVOIPL #KKRvSRH Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/Z5rRXTNps5 pic.twitter.com/lQINO8DijE — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 3, 2021 × With Rana struggling to get going, Gill took the onus on himself to break the shackles and he did it by smacking Holder for two boundaries in the 12th over to bring down the equation to 53 off 42 balls. Gill continued his attacking instinct and struck Malik for back-to-back boundaries in the next over to ease out the chase. Gill and Rana looked at ease to finish off the chase before the former flicked one straight to Holder at long-on off Kaul's bowling. The match witnessed some tense moment when Rana was dismissed in the 18th over but Dinesh Karthik (18 not out) and Eoin Morgan (2 not out) closed down the chase with two balls to spare. Earlier, SRH skipper Kane Williamson's decision to bat first backfired as they lost wickets at regular intervals, failing to counter KKR's incisive bowling, especially of Tim Southee and the spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. Already out of contention for a play-offs berth, SRH witnessed a horrible start to their innings, losing Wriddhiman Saha for a duck in the second ball, LBW to Southee. Jason Roy (10) was the next to follow, caught by Southee off Shivam Mavi in the fourth over. Skipper Williamson (26 off 21) tried to resurrect the innings and was looking good before he was run out by Shakib Al Hasan with SRH scoreboard reading 38 for three in 6.5 overs. Once Williamson departed, it was a struggle for SRH batsmen even though Priyam Garg (21) and Abdul Samad (25) tried to forge a partnership. Garg was holed out at deep midwicket to Rahul Tripathi off Chakravarthy, while Jason Holder (2) fell to the same bowler in his next over. Samad tried his best to pick up the tempo in the last five overs, hitting three lusty sixes but eventually perished in search of quick runs, caught by Shubman Gill of Southee's bowling. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (7 not out) and Siddharth Kaul (7 not out) remained unbeaten in a 12-run ninth-wicket partnership. The spin duo of Shakib (1/20) and Narine were brilliant in the middle overs as SRH batsmen found the going tough against them. While Narine returned wicketless, he was economical, finishing with impressive figures of 4-0-12-0. Southee (2/26), Mavi (2/29) and Chakravarthy (2/26) shared six wickets among them.

IPL 2021: Shubman Gill, bowlers guide KKR to 6-wicket win over SRH, keep 4th spot intact

Unique colours and funky looks: IPL 2021 stars and their extraordinary hairstyles

IPL 2021's second and final leg commenced on September 19 (Sunday) as the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took on the Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai Indians (MI), in match 30, and defeated them by 20 runs in Dubai. The action will now move onto Abu Dhabi as the Sheikh Zayed Stadium will host the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) versus Eoin Morgan's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 31 on Monday evening (September 20).

Currently, the 2016 runners-up RCB find themselves in a much-better position in the points table, occupying the third position with 5 wins from 7 encounters. On the other hand, the two-time champions KKR are languishing at the seventh position and are in a do-or-die situation where they have to make every match count.&nbsp;

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Ahead of match 31, here's everything you need to know about the pitch report,&nbsp;weather and probable playing XI:&nbsp;

Weather and pitch report: A hot and humid evening is set to greet the players from both the dens. KKR will feel more at home in Abu Dhabi, winning five out of their seven matches at the venue during IPL 2020.&nbsp;Bowlers can expect some help from the surface as a modest-scoring thriller looks on cards in Abu Dhabi.

Predicted Playing XIs for RCB vs KKR

KKR Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan (c), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy

 
RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed/Mohammed Azharuddeen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-to-step-down-as-rcb-captain-after-ipl-2021-414253">Virat Kohli to step down as RCB captain after IPL 2021</a>

With Kohli set to step down as the RCB captain post the ongoing season, the Bengaluru franchise will be eager to start the second and final leg with a bang. It is another good chance for them to win their maiden title and give a proper send-off to their outgoing skipper. For that to happen, RCB will have to start with a bang versus KKR. 
&nbsp;

IPL 2021's second and final leg commenced on September 19 (Sunday) as the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took on the Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai Indians (MI), in match 30, and defeated them by 20 runs in Dubai.

IPL 2021's second and final leg commenced on September 19 (Sunday) as the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took on the Rohit Sharma-less Mumbai Indians (MI), in match 30, and defeated them by 20 runs in Dubai. The action will now move onto Abu Dhabi as the Sheikh Zayed Stadium will host the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) versus Eoin Morgan's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 31 on Monday evening (September 20). Currently, the 2016 runners-up RCB find themselves in a much-better position in the points table, occupying the third position with 5 wins from 7 encounters. On the other hand, the two-time champions KKR are languishing at the seventh position and are in a do-or-die situation where they have to make every match count. × Ahead of match 31, here's everything you need to know about the pitch report, weather and probable playing XI: Weather and pitch report: A hot and humid evening is set to greet the players from both the dens. KKR will feel more at home in Abu Dhabi, winning five out of their seven matches at the venue during IPL 2020. Bowlers can expect some help from the surface as a modest-scoring thriller looks on cards in Abu Dhabi. Predicted Playing XIs for RCB vs KKR KKR Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan (c), Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Shivam Mavi/Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed/Mohammed Azharuddeen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal ALSO READ | Virat Kohli to step down as RCB captain after IPL 2021 With Kohli set to step down as the RCB captain post the ongoing season, the Bengaluru franchise will be eager to start the second and final leg with a bang. It is another good chance for them to win their maiden title and give a proper send-off to their outgoing skipper. For that to happen, RCB will have to start with a bang versus KKR.

IPL 2021, RCB vs KKR: Pitch report, weather and probable playing XIs for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match

BCCI on Monday affirmed Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav as replacements for the injured players. Both Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, who are right now with the limited-overs side in Sri Lanka, will travel to England to join the Test squad for the Test series against England.

"All-rounder Washington Sundar had taken an injection on his right-hand bowling finger. However, his recovery will take longer than expected and he is not bowling-fit. He is ruled out of the remainder of the tour," the statement read.

"Fast bowler Avesh Khan suffered a blow to his left thumb on Day 1 of the warm-up game. He was taken for an X-Ray and the result confirmed a fracture. A specialist was consulted for further management of his injury. He is ruled out of India’s Tour of England."

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav as replacements," said BCCI in a press release.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-have-to-score-big-runs-former-pakistan-skipper-on-prithvi-shaws-comparisons-400604" hreflang="en">You have to score big runs': Former Pakistan skipper on Prithvi Shaw's comparisons</a>

The Indian cricket board additionally mentioned Shubman Gill's fitness status. Shubman has been ruled out of the five-match Test series beginning on August 4 because of a strain injury on his leg in the World Test Championship final.&nbsp;

"Opening batsman Shubman Gill sustained a developing stress reaction on his left lower leg during the World Test Championship final. This was confirmed via an MRI scan. He is ruled out of the tour and has returned back to India," BCCI said.

Rishabh Pant has recuperated from COVID-19 with two negative RT-PCR tests. He has joined the team back and has started his preparations for the impending Test series.&nbsp;

Additionally, Bharat Arun, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, and opener Abhimanyu Easwaran have finished their self-quarantine in London and have now joined Team India in Durham.&nbsp;

India squad for England Tests: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (bad habit chief), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-manager), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-guardian), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav

BCCI on Monday affirmed Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav as replacements for the injured players. Both Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, who are right now with the limited-overs side in Sri Lanka, will travel to England to join the Test squad for the Test series against England.

BCCI on Monday affirmed Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav as replacements for the injured players. Both Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav, who are right now with the limited-overs side in Sri Lanka, will travel to England to join the Test squad for the Test series against England. "All-rounder Washington Sundar had taken an injection on his right-hand bowling finger. However, his recovery will take longer than expected and he is not bowling-fit. He is ruled out of the remainder of the tour," the statement read. "Fast bowler Avesh Khan suffered a blow to his left thumb on Day 1 of the warm-up game. He was taken for an X-Ray and the result confirmed a fracture. A specialist was consulted for further management of his injury. He is ruled out of India’s Tour of England." "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav as replacements," said BCCI in a press release. ALSO READ: You have to score big runs': Former Pakistan skipper on Prithvi Shaw's comparisons The Indian cricket board additionally mentioned Shubman Gill's fitness status. Shubman has been ruled out of the five-match Test series beginning on August 4 because of a strain injury on his leg in the World Test Championship final. "Opening batsman Shubman Gill sustained a developing stress reaction on his left lower leg during the World Test Championship final. This was confirmed via an MRI scan. He is ruled out of the tour and has returned back to India," BCCI said. Rishabh Pant has recuperated from COVID-19 with two negative RT-PCR tests. He has joined the team back and has started his preparations for the impending Test series. Additionally, Bharat Arun, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, and opener Abhimanyu Easwaran have finished their self-quarantine in London and have now joined Team India in Durham. India squad for England Tests: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (bad habit chief), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-manager), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-guardian), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav

Cricket: BCCI announces replacements for injured players ahead of the England series

Shubman Gill's injury came as a big blow for the Indian team ahead of the five-match Test series against England. BCCI's selection denied the team management's request to send Padikkal and Shaw as backup openers.&nbsp;

The Indian contingent in England already have Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul as an option for the opening batsman. They also have Abhimanyu Easwaran as the backup option.&nbsp;

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BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly commented on the decision to not send a replacement for injured opener Shubman Gill in England, saying it was a matter for the selection committee to consider.&nbsp;

When asked about the controversy, Ganguly, while addressing reporters on his 49th birthday on Thursday, said: "That's selectors' call."

The five-match Test series between England and India will kick off on August 4 and it will be the first series for the 2021-23 cycle of the World Test Championship Finals.&nbsp;

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Ganguly also talked about conducting the remainder of IPL 2021 and said that he was confident of successfully staging the cash-rich T20 league.&nbsp;

"Nothing will happen we will manage. It will start in September we will chalk out the nitty-gritties. There will be regret but no one has witnessed such a situation in their entire lifetime. These are exceptional circumstances," he told reporters.

"Last year the World Cup got cancelled and this year if again the World Cup gets cancelled because of Covid, then it's a massive loss for the game. That's why we have taken it into a safer place," he said.

Shubman Gill's injury came as a big blow for the Indian team ahead of the five-match Test series against England. BCCI's selection denied the team management's request to send Padikkal and Shaw as backup openers.

Shubman Gill's injury came as a big blow for the Indian team ahead of the five-match Test series against England. BCCI's selection denied the team management's request to send Padikkal and Shaw as backup openers. The Indian contingent in England already have Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul as an option for the opening batsman. They also have Abhimanyu Easwaran as the backup option. ALSO READ: Revealed: This is the whopping amount Sri Lankan cricket board will get from India series BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly commented on the decision to not send a replacement for injured opener Shubman Gill in England, saying it was a matter for the selection committee to consider. When asked about the controversy, Ganguly, while addressing reporters on his 49th birthday on Thursday, said: "That's selectors' call." The five-match Test series between England and India will kick off on August 4 and it will be the first series for the 2021-23 cycle of the World Test Championship Finals. ALSO READ: Sri Lankan batting coach Grant Flower tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of India series Ganguly also talked about conducting the remainder of IPL 2021 and said that he was confident of successfully staging the cash-rich T20 league. "Nothing will happen we will manage. It will start in September we will chalk out the nitty-gritties. There will be regret but no one has witnessed such a situation in their entire lifetime. These are exceptional circumstances," he told reporters. "Last year the World Cup got cancelled and this year if again the World Cup gets cancelled because of Covid, then it's a massive loss for the game. That's why we have taken it into a safer place," he said.

Cricket: BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly reacts to controversy surrounding Shubman Gill's injury

Shubman Gill's injury came as a big jolt for Virat and Co. as the Men in Blue still contemplate their opening pair for the upcoming England series that will kick off in August.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-to-represent-the-country-is-feeling-which-is-very-hard-to-explain-says-devdutt-padikkal-396715" hreflang="en">Cricket: To represent the country is feeling which is very hard to explain, says Devdutt Padikkal</a>

Team India have Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul as their remaining options in terms of openers, they also have a backup batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran. There were several reports that coach Ravi Shastri wanted Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal to fly to England to be Gill's replacements, however, BCCI turned down the request.&nbsp;

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has given his point of view on the situation. "I will never feel it is justified because if you send an additional replacement the players already in the team will feel extremely insecure. There is no need to create such insecurity," Saba Karim said on India News.

"I feel you have to show some faith in the job done by the selectors. I still cannot believe that such a demand would have come from the team management. But if it has come, I feel it is not justifiable," he added.

"If the team needs a replacement, there is a discussion with the selectors, especially with the chairperson. But which player goes is decided by the selection committee.

"But the question here is why they need a replacement when they have so many openers in the reserve. It is difficult to say from here what could be the reason behind the team management asking for a replacement.

"It is possible that they might be feeling that the situation that was created in Australia, a similar thing could happen here as well. So they want an opener to be in the team as Shubman Gill has come back and it is a long series, there are going to five Test matches played and if you need someone in between, the player will not be able to play because of quarantine," he signed off.

Shubman Gill's injury came as a big jolt for Virat and Co. as the Men in Blue still contemplate their opening pair for the upcoming England series that will kick off in August.

Shubman Gill's injury came as a big jolt for Virat and Co. as the Men in Blue still contemplate their opening pair for the upcoming England series that will kick off in August. ALSO READ: Cricket: To represent the country is feeling which is very hard to explain, says Devdutt Padikkal Team India have Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul as their remaining options in terms of openers, they also have a backup batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran. There were several reports that coach Ravi Shastri wanted Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal to fly to England to be Gill's replacements, however, BCCI turned down the request. Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has given his point of view on the situation. "I will never feel it is justified because if you send an additional replacement the players already in the team will feel extremely insecure. There is no need to create such insecurity," Saba Karim said on India News. "I feel you have to show some faith in the job done by the selectors. I still cannot believe that such a demand would have come from the team management. But if it has come, I feel it is not justifiable," he added. "If the team needs a replacement, there is a discussion with the selectors, especially with the chairperson. But which player goes is decided by the selection committee. "But the question here is why they need a replacement when they have so many openers in the reserve. It is difficult to say from here what could be the reason behind the team management asking for a replacement. "It is possible that they might be feeling that the situation that was created in Australia, a similar thing could happen here as well. So they want an opener to be in the team as Shubman Gill has come back and it is a long series, there are going to five Test matches played and if you need someone in between, the player will not be able to play because of quarantine," he signed off.

'There is no need to create such insecurity': Saba Karim on Team India's openers situation

Shubman Gill's injury ahead of the England Test has sparked a massive debate as to who would replace the young gun and open for the Men in Blue in a career-defining series against Root and Co.&nbsp;

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The Indian contingent is looking for either Prithvi Shaw or Devdutt Padikkal, who are currently in Sri Lanka prepping for the limited-over series, to fill the spot.&nbsp;

According to reports, the Indian team manager, who is in England at the moment, had asked the BCCI for two replacements for injured Gill. However, the selection committee of the Indian cricket board turned down the request.&nbsp;

"The team management has to be clear about its vision. The selectors have always heeded to the team management's demands when it came to composition of the squad. The team was picked in presence of captain Virat Kohli. The management needed to be clear about its plan when it came to how they wanted to use the players who were picked. Rahul was picked as an opener. If they had a change of plans, they should have communicated it clearly," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma are the only openers available for the team, whereas, Virat and Co. plan to use KL Rahul in the middle-order. The team management seems to be&nbsp;not confident that Abhimanyu Eswaran, who was considered as the back-up opener, could play against the likes of Anderson, Broad and Archer.&nbsp;

“Easwaran has been with the team since the home series against England in Feb-March. The team management needs to clarify why they aren't confident about using Easwaran. Only then a decision can be taken on whether a replacement needs to be sent," the official said.&nbsp;

Shubman Gill's injury ahead of the England Test has sparked a massive debate as to who would replace the young gun and open for the Men in Blue in a career-defining series against Root and Co.

Shubman Gill's injury ahead of the England Test has sparked a massive debate as to who would replace the young gun and open for the Men in Blue in a career-defining series against Root and Co. ALSO READ: In pics: Happy birthday MS Dhoni! Check out some of his coolest records The Indian contingent is looking for either Prithvi Shaw or Devdutt Padikkal, who are currently in Sri Lanka prepping for the limited-over series, to fill the spot. According to reports, the Indian team manager, who is in England at the moment, had asked the BCCI for two replacements for injured Gill. However, the selection committee of the Indian cricket board turned down the request. "The team management has to be clear about its vision. The selectors have always heeded to the team management's demands when it came to composition of the squad. The team was picked in presence of captain Virat Kohli. The management needed to be clear about its plan when it came to how they wanted to use the players who were picked. Rahul was picked as an opener. If they had a change of plans, they should have communicated it clearly," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by the Times of India. Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma are the only openers available for the team, whereas, Virat and Co. plan to use KL Rahul in the middle-order. The team management seems to be not confident that Abhimanyu Eswaran, who was considered as the back-up opener, could play against the likes of Anderson, Broad and Archer. “Easwaran has been with the team since the home series against England in Feb-March. The team management needs to clarify why they aren't confident about using Easwaran. Only then a decision can be taken on whether a replacement needs to be sent," the official said.

'The team was picked in presence of captain Virat Kohli', fumes BCCI - Reports

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has raised several questions on the Indian cricket team's medical staff regarding Shubman Gill's reported injury due to which the young gun is set to miss an entire five-match Test series against England.&nbsp;

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Karim, in the Khelneeti podcast with Nikhil Chopra, said that he was surprised to see Gill hide his injury despite travelling with the Indian unit for a long time.&nbsp;

“I was surprised to see Shubman Gill hid his injury. He has been travelling for a long time with the Indian team. Physios and other medical staff are tracking the fitness of the players. It’s very surprising in the first place, how it happened and why it didn’t come up earlier," Karim said.

According to Saba Karim, Mayank Agarwal is an ideal candidate to replace Shubman Gill for the opener's slot against England.&nbsp;

“Mayank should be given preference. We have been harsh towards Mayank. He was sidelined after just 2-3 failed innings,” Karim said.

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have been successful, in terms of providing a solid start for the Indian cricket team. The duo have been opening since last December.&nbsp;

With Gill's injury, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are most likely to take the opening spot.

The five-match series against England will kick=off on August 4.&nbsp;

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has raised several questions on the Indian cricket team's medical staff regarding Shubman Gill's reported injury due to which the young gun is set to miss an entire five-match Test series against England.

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has raised several questions on the Indian cricket team's medical staff regarding Shubman Gill's reported injury due to which the young gun is set to miss an entire five-match Test series against England. ALSO READ: Cricket: Prithvi Shaw lauds Rahul Dravid's ‘out of the world’ coaching style Karim, in the Khelneeti podcast with Nikhil Chopra, said that he was surprised to see Gill hide his injury despite travelling with the Indian unit for a long time. “I was surprised to see Shubman Gill hid his injury. He has been travelling for a long time with the Indian team. Physios and other medical staff are tracking the fitness of the players. It’s very surprising in the first place, how it happened and why it didn’t come up earlier," Karim said. According to Saba Karim, Mayank Agarwal is an ideal candidate to replace Shubman Gill for the opener's slot against England. “Mayank should be given preference. We have been harsh towards Mayank. He was sidelined after just 2-3 failed innings,” Karim said. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have been successful, in terms of providing a solid start for the Indian cricket team. The duo have been opening since last December. With Gill's injury, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are most likely to take the opening spot. The five-match series against England will kick=off on August 4.

Cricket: 'I was surprised to see Shubman Gill hid his injury', says former India wicket-keeper

Indian opener Shubman Gill suffered a serious injury due to which the young gun has been ruled out of the five-match Test series against England. Gill's injury makes way for one of the benched players.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/second-string-indian-team-coming-here-is-insult-on-our-cricket-arjuna-ranatunga-slams-slc-395331" hreflang="en">'Second-string Indian team coming here is insult on our cricket': Arjuna Ranatunga slams SLC</a>

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have been successful, in terms of providing a solid start for the Indian cricket team. The duo have been opening since last December.&nbsp;

With Gill's injury, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are most likely to take the opening spot. However, former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer preferred Agarwal over KL Rahul as he felt he is a much better fit.&nbsp;

"It will be a very big opportunity for Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul with Mayank being my first preference. He has had an excellent career so far. He was dropped after two poor outings in Australia but I am sure he will be looking forward to this opportunity. It is a very big series of five Test matches which can make or break a cricketer's career. I feel KL Rahul can also fit somewhere in the middle-order if not as an opener," Jaffer said on his YouTube video.

"It will be a big blow for India as well as Shubman Gill because as a youngster, you look forward to this kind of series to make a name for yourself. Considering that we judge a player by their overseas performance, it will be a setback for him to miss the first couple of games," Jaffer added.

"It will be a very important series for India because we haven't won any series in England since 2007-08 though we have come close. Although Shubman Gill's injury will be a big blow, the players will look to step up and deliver."

Indian opener Shubman Gill suffered a serious injury due to which the young gun has been ruled out of the five-match Test series against England. Gill's injury makes way for one of the benched players.

Indian opener Shubman Gill suffered a serious injury due to which the young gun has been ruled out of the five-match Test series against England. Gill's injury makes way for one of the benched players. ALSO READ: 'Second-string Indian team coming here is insult on our cricket': Arjuna Ranatunga slams SLC Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have been successful, in terms of providing a solid start for the Indian cricket team. The duo have been opening since last December. With Gill's injury, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are most likely to take the opening spot. However, former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer preferred Agarwal over KL Rahul as he felt he is a much better fit. "It will be a very big opportunity for Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul with Mayank being my first preference. He has had an excellent career so far. He was dropped after two poor outings in Australia but I am sure he will be looking forward to this opportunity. It is a very big series of five Test matches which can make or break a cricketer's career. I feel KL Rahul can also fit somewhere in the middle-order if not as an opener," Jaffer said on his YouTube video. "It will be a big blow for India as well as Shubman Gill because as a youngster, you look forward to this kind of series to make a name for yourself. Considering that we judge a player by their overseas performance, it will be a setback for him to miss the first couple of games," Jaffer added. "It will be a very important series for India because we haven't won any series in England since 2007-08 though we have come close. Although Shubman Gill's injury will be a big blow, the players will look to step up and deliver."

'It will be a very big opportunity': Wasim Jaffer suggests replacement for Shubman Gill

Indian opener Shubman Gill suffered a serious injury due to which the young gun has been ruled out of the five-match Test series against England. Gill's injury makes way for one of the benched players.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-england-vs-india-to-kick-off-the-second-wtc-cycle-with-tweaked-points-system-394966" hreflang="en">Cricket: England vs India to kick off the second WTC cycle, with tweaked points system</a>

According to several reports, Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari are among the top contenders to replace Gill for the series against England. As per Times of India, KL Rahul is more likely to enter the playing XI as a middle-order batsman.&nbsp;

“Rahul’s game against the new ball has not been up to the mark over the last year. He could be a very good option down the order. Vihari has shown he has the ability to play out the new ball,” a source told TOI.

Shubman Gill is reportedly very upset with the situation as the young batsman has been ruled out of what could have been a career-defining series.&nbsp;

“Shubman is very upset right now. The injury looks bad. BCCI is contacting the best professionals to get Shubman treated in England. While the team management wishes that he recovers in time for the series, it looks unrealistic. It needs to be seen if he needs a surgery,” the source said.

The five-match red-ball series will kick off on August 4. The last time Men in Blue played a Test series in English conditions, they suffered a 4-1 loss (in 2017).

The forthcoming five Tests against England will give Team India ostensibly the best chance to put any demons to rest in England. A determined series win would not just recuperate the wounds of the previous few years yet, in addition, clear any questions about the team's future possibilities.

Indian opener Shubman Gill suffered a serious injury due to which the young gun has been ruled out of the five-match Test series against England. Gill's injury makes way for one of the benched players. ALSO READ: Cricket: England vs India to kick off the second WTC cycle, with tweaked points system According to several reports, Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari are among the top contenders to replace Gill for the series against England. As per Times of India, KL Rahul is more likely to enter the playing XI as a middle-order batsman. “Rahul’s game against the new ball has not been up to the mark over the last year. He could be a very good option down the order. Vihari has shown he has the ability to play out the new ball,” a source told TOI. Shubman Gill is reportedly very upset with the situation as the young batsman has been ruled out of what could have been a career-defining series. “Shubman is very upset right now. The injury looks bad. BCCI is contacting the best professionals to get Shubman treated in England. While the team management wishes that he recovers in time for the series, it looks unrealistic. It needs to be seen if he needs a surgery,” the source said. The five-match red-ball series will kick off on August 4. The last time Men in Blue played a Test series in English conditions, they suffered a 4-1 loss (in 2017). The forthcoming five Tests against England will give Team India ostensibly the best chance to put any demons to rest in England. A determined series win would not just recuperate the wounds of the previous few years yet, in addition, clear any questions about the team's future possibilities.

Mayank Agarwal or Hanuma Vihari likely to replace injured Gill for England Tests: Reports

Team India has a respectable break ahead of the five-Test match series against England. Following their loss to New Zealand in the last of the World Test Championship, India have the opportunity to adjust and chip away at the spaces that let them down in Southampton against New Zealand.&nbsp;

Sunil Gavaskar has proposed an adjustment of the opening combination for the Test series against England. He believes that Mayank Agarwal ought to get approval instead of Shubman Gill to open the innings.&nbsp;

India's last three tours through England show that Team India is not very comfortable against the moving Dukes ball in the UK. They last won a Test series in England in 2007 under Rahul Dravid, however have since lost 0-4, 1-3, 1-4 in resulting visits in 2011, 2014, and 2018 separately. '

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In a conversation with SportsTak, Sunil Gavaskar feels it can begin by reshuffling India's opening blend: "Mayank Agarwal has done a really good job for India, twice he's scored a double century opening the innings. It’s a good thing that the BCCI and Jay Shah have taken the initiative to conduct some warm-up matches before the England Tests so there you can decide who between Gill and Agarwal can open for India."

"Make them open the innings together because Rohit Sharma is a certainty and he can be rested for a game. That would give you an idea of who has the better technique for English conditions. And then based on that, they can make a decision whether they want to play Mayank Agarwal or Shubman Gill."

According to him, Shubman Gill's concern lies in his absence of footwork, and Sunil Gavaskar figures it is something that was featured in the WTC final in England however even at home when the batsman's runs evaporated.&nbsp;

"Gill's footwork isn't much. He only goes in front and that's not the case with him only in England. Even in the series in India, there too, he had just one movement which is forward. There's no effort to go on the back foot and that is why he plays across the line" - he said.

"Because once your feet go forward, with that balance, it's tough to get back on the backfoot if the length is slightly short, is tough. So he needs to work hard, there's no doubt about his talent. But if he works a bit hard, he will get the reward."

Mayank Agarwal has remained uninvolved subsequent to encountering two bad games in Australia and since Shubman Gill had a rich series down under. Mayank Agarwal averages a solid 45.74 in 14 Tests by scoring 1052 runs, scoring three centuries. With the BCCI a few warm-up games before the series, the management could offer Mayank Agarwal a few chances in those prior to choosing if he could turn into Shubman Gill's substitution at the top.

Team India has a respectable break ahead of the five-Test match series against England. Following their loss to New Zealand in the last of the World Test Championship, India have the opportunity to adjust and chip away at the spaces that let them down in Southampton against New Zealand.

Team India has a respectable break ahead of the five-Test match series against England. Following their loss to New Zealand in the last of the World Test Championship, India have the opportunity to adjust and chip away at the spaces that let them down in Southampton against New Zealand. Sunil Gavaskar has proposed an adjustment of the opening combination for the Test series against England. He believes that Mayank Agarwal ought to get approval instead of Shubman Gill to open the innings. India's last three tours through England show that Team India is not very comfortable against the moving Dukes ball in the UK. They last won a Test series in England in 2007 under Rahul Dravid, however have since lost 0-4, 1-3, 1-4 in resulting visits in 2011, 2014, and 2018 separately. ' ALSO READ: Cricket: Tim Paine eats 'humble pie' after predicting India's easy win in WTC Final In a conversation with SportsTak, Sunil Gavaskar feels it can begin by reshuffling India's opening blend: "Mayank Agarwal has done a really good job for India, twice he's scored a double century opening the innings. It’s a good thing that the BCCI and Jay Shah have taken the initiative to conduct some warm-up matches before the England Tests so there you can decide who between Gill and Agarwal can open for India." "Make them open the innings together because Rohit Sharma is a certainty and he can be rested for a game. That would give you an idea of who has the better technique for English conditions. And then based on that, they can make a decision whether they want to play Mayank Agarwal or Shubman Gill." According to him, Shubman Gill's concern lies in his absence of footwork, and Sunil Gavaskar figures it is something that was featured in the WTC final in England however even at home when the batsman's runs evaporated. "Gill's footwork isn't much. He only goes in front and that's not the case with him only in England. Even in the series in India, there too, he had just one movement which is forward. There's no effort to go on the back foot and that is why he plays across the line" - he said. "Because once your feet go forward, with that balance, it's tough to get back on the backfoot if the length is slightly short, is tough. So he needs to work hard, there's no doubt about his talent. But if he works a bit hard, he will get the reward." Mayank Agarwal has remained uninvolved subsequent to encountering two bad games in Australia and since Shubman Gill had a rich series down under. Mayank Agarwal averages a solid 45.74 in 14 Tests by scoring 1052 runs, scoring three centuries. With the BCCI a few warm-up games before the series, the management could offer Mayank Agarwal a few chances in those prior to choosing if he could turn into Shubman Gill's substitution at the top.

Cricket: Sunil Gavaskar suggests a potential change for India ahead of England Tests

Shubman Gill feels that the bad light stopped the Indian team to have a go at Ross Taylor and make further damage into New Zealand batting on Day 3 of the World Test Championship final in Southampton.&nbsp;

After the finish of Day 3, Shubman Gill addressed the virtual media meeting and assessed the day for the Indian team.

"Conway was a crucial wicket for us and I feel that if we would have been able to bowl a few overs to Ross Taylor, we might have been able to get a couple of more wickets. We would have a slight edge tomorrow as both batsmen are relatively new at the crease," the young batsman said.

New Zealand finished at 101 for two with Conway being dismissed at the stroke of stumps.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-kyle-jamieson-surpasses-r-ashwin-nathan-lyon-with-most-five-wicket-hauls-in-world-test-championship-392787" hreflang="en">Cricket: Kyle Jamieson surpasses R Ashwin, Nathan Lyon with most five-wicket hauls in World Test Championship</a>

Gill said that it's anything but an issue as they have now failed to cross 250 against New Zealand on five progressive events.&nbsp;

"I think the Tests we played in New Zealand in 2020, we didn't have too much time to prepare as the focus was more on ODIs and T20s. As you said, we haven't been able to cross 250 in the last five Tests. This Test also we were in a solid position but we lost a couple of early wickets today. But hopefully, if we get some time, in next innings, we will cross 250" - he said

Gill applauded Kyle Jamieson for his five-wicket pull yet additionally felt that Indian pacers didn't have the rub of the green turning out well for them despite bowling great during the last two sessions.

"Jamieson was bowling well during the first spell but he didn't get many wickets. But he got his reward today and I feel our bowlers also bowled well. However, luck didn't favour us and there were a couple of half-chances that didn't go our way. Hopefully, tomorrow is a new day and it will bring us some luck."

Shubman Gill feels that the bad light stopped the Indian team to have a go at Ross Taylor and make further damage into New Zealand batting on Day 3 of the World Test Championship final in Southampton.

Shubman Gill feels that the bad light stopped the Indian team to have a go at Ross Taylor and make further damage into New Zealand batting on Day 3 of the World Test Championship final in Southampton. After the finish of Day 3, Shubman Gill addressed the virtual media meeting and assessed the day for the Indian team. "Conway was a crucial wicket for us and I feel that if we would have been able to bowl a few overs to Ross Taylor, we might have been able to get a couple of more wickets. We would have a slight edge tomorrow as both batsmen are relatively new at the crease," the young batsman said. New Zealand finished at 101 for two with Conway being dismissed at the stroke of stumps. ALSO READ: Cricket: Kyle Jamieson surpasses R Ashwin, Nathan Lyon with most five-wicket hauls in World Test Championship Gill said that it's anything but an issue as they have now failed to cross 250 against New Zealand on five progressive events. "I think the Tests we played in New Zealand in 2020, we didn't have too much time to prepare as the focus was more on ODIs and T20s. As you said, we haven't been able to cross 250 in the last five Tests. This Test also we were in a solid position but we lost a couple of early wickets today. But hopefully, if we get some time, in next innings, we will cross 250" - he said Gill applauded Kyle Jamieson for his five-wicket pull yet additionally felt that Indian pacers didn't have the rub of the green turning out well for them despite bowling great during the last two sessions. "Jamieson was bowling well during the first spell but he didn't get many wickets. But he got his reward today and I feel our bowlers also bowled well. However, luck didn't favour us and there were a couple of half-chances that didn't go our way. Hopefully, tomorrow is a new day and it will bring us some luck."

WTC Final: Ross Taylor's wicket could have given us edge, says Shubman Gill after bad light suspends play

Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar was impressed with Shubman Gill's solid performance on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand at Rose Bowl in Southampton.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beauty-about-test-cricket-is-you-are-always-aspiring-to-be-perfect-says-ravichandran-ashwin-392695" hreflang="en">The beauty about Test cricket is you are always aspiring to be perfect, says Ravichandran Ashwin</a>

Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start to the Men in Blue after Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to field first.&nbsp;

The duo put up 62 runs on the stand for the opening wicket before Sharma got dismissed on 34, whereas, Gill got dismissed on 28 by Jamieson and Wagner respectively.&nbsp;

Sunil Gavaskar, who was commentating during the match, was impressed with the young gun's temperament and said that he could become a great player.&nbsp;

"He has the temperament to become a great player," Gavaskar in the commentary box during Gill's innings, which comprised three fours.

According to Gavaskar, Gill will score multiple centuries for India. The young gun has scored three half-centuries in his short career.&nbsp;

"The first hundred is always the toughest one because that journey from scoring a half century to reaching three figures is not that easy," Gavaskar said. "Batsmen tend to feel settled somewhere around 70-80 run mark and start taking the bowlers on and lose their wicket in that way. He just needs to get his first hundred and then a lot more will follow."

Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar was impressed with Shubman Gill's solid performance on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand at Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar was impressed with Shubman Gill's solid performance on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand at Rose Bowl in Southampton. ALSO READ: The beauty about Test cricket is you are always aspiring to be perfect, says Ravichandran Ashwin Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start to the Men in Blue after Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to field first. The duo put up 62 runs on the stand for the opening wicket before Sharma got dismissed on 34, whereas, Gill got dismissed on 28 by Jamieson and Wagner respectively. Sunil Gavaskar, who was commentating during the match, was impressed with the young gun's temperament and said that he could become a great player. "He has the temperament to become a great player," Gavaskar in the commentary box during Gill's innings, which comprised three fours. According to Gavaskar, Gill will score multiple centuries for India. The young gun has scored three half-centuries in his short career. "The first hundred is always the toughest one because that journey from scoring a half century to reaching three figures is not that easy," Gavaskar said. "Batsmen tend to feel settled somewhere around 70-80 run mark and start taking the bowlers on and lose their wicket in that way. He just needs to get his first hundred and then a lot more will follow."

Cricket: 'Has temperament to become great player': Gavaskar lauds Gill's knock

India's batsmen figured out how to ward off a soggy pitch, cloudy conditions, and a deadly fast bowling unit on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl against New Zealand. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill batted mindfully at the top to give India a strong beginning in Southampton, yet they lost three speedy wickets after the initial stand.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-india-have-done-very-very-well-michael-vaughan-lauds-virat-and-cos-batting-effort-392679" hreflang="en">WTC Final- 'India have done very, very well': Michael Vaughan lauds Virat and Co.'s batting effort</a>

Nonetheless, skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane struck an unbeaten 58-run partnership for the fourth wicket to explore the group to 146/3 toward the day's end play on Saturday. Virat Kohli is batting on 44 while Ajinkya Rahane stays unbeaten on 29 as India will hope to keep on expanding on the strong establishment laid on Day 2.&nbsp;

Vikram Rathour, Team India's batting coach on Saturday picked a total that he feels will place India in a battling position against New Zealand in the WTC final, saying that a first innings score of 250 or more will be a decent all out remembering the predominant conditions. Addressing a post-match media press conference, he said:&nbsp;"We would like to score as many runs as possible but 250 plus will be a reasonable score in these conditions"

The batting mentor commended openers Gill and Rohit for seeing off the new ball in a splendid way as they played emphatically to add 62 runs. Inquired as to whether taking a position outside the wrinkle was to counter swing or play additional attacking shots, Vikram Rathour said: "Batting is about scoring runs. Rohit and Gill showed a lot of intent and looked to score wherever they can. Hats off to Virat and Rahane for the manner in which they batted but a lot of credit should also get to the openers."

He feels that once the Dukes' ball got a smidgen more established, it began swinging more, and henceforth scoring runs turned into somewhat troublesome than what it was the point at which the openers were batting.&nbsp;

"I think when the ball got a bit older, it started swinging more. Also, the New Zealand pacers hit good areas during the second session" - he said.

Vikram Rathour additionally disregarded statements that Cheteshwar Pujara is dealing with certain specialized issues as he has now been hit at any rate multiple times on the helmet in ongoing Test matches. He&nbsp;isn't too stressed over Cheteshwar Pujara's common issues with the bouncer. He said that the No.3 player hasn't had specific issues with pace and simply needs to convert over his starts.

"We are not really concerned and he is a good player. I don't think the pace is an issue with him. Till he batted, he looked solid and he has a role to play in the team. Today also, he played 50 oddballs. He just needs to convert those starts. It's going to happen very soon" - he added.

India's batsmen figured out how to ward off a soggy pitch, cloudy conditions, and a deadly fast bowling unit on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl against New Zealand.

India's batsmen figured out how to ward off a soggy pitch, cloudy conditions, and a deadly fast bowling unit on Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl against New Zealand. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill batted mindfully at the top to give India a strong beginning in Southampton, yet they lost three speedy wickets after the initial stand. ALSO READ: WTC Final- 'India have done very, very well': Michael Vaughan lauds Virat and Co.'s batting effort Nonetheless, skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane struck an unbeaten 58-run partnership for the fourth wicket to explore the group to 146/3 toward the day's end play on Saturday. Virat Kohli is batting on 44 while Ajinkya Rahane stays unbeaten on 29 as India will hope to keep on expanding on the strong establishment laid on Day 2. Vikram Rathour, Team India's batting coach on Saturday picked a total that he feels will place India in a battling position against New Zealand in the WTC final, saying that a first innings score of 250 or more will be a decent all out remembering the predominant conditions. Addressing a post-match media press conference, he said: "We would like to score as many runs as possible but 250 plus will be a reasonable score in these conditions" The batting mentor commended openers Gill and Rohit for seeing off the new ball in a splendid way as they played emphatically to add 62 runs. Inquired as to whether taking a position outside the wrinkle was to counter swing or play additional attacking shots, Vikram Rathour said: "Batting is about scoring runs. Rohit and Gill showed a lot of intent and looked to score wherever they can. Hats off to Virat and Rahane for the manner in which they batted but a lot of credit should also get to the openers." He feels that once the Dukes' ball got a smidgen more established, it began swinging more, and henceforth scoring runs turned into somewhat troublesome than what it was the point at which the openers were batting. "I think when the ball got a bit older, it started swinging more. Also, the New Zealand pacers hit good areas during the second session" - he said. Vikram Rathour additionally disregarded statements that Cheteshwar Pujara is dealing with certain specialized issues as he has now been hit at any rate multiple times on the helmet in ongoing Test matches. He isn't too stressed over Cheteshwar Pujara's common issues with the bouncer. He said that the No.3 player hasn't had specific issues with pace and simply needs to convert over his starts. "We are not really concerned and he is a good player. I don't think the pace is an issue with him. Till he batted, he looked solid and he has a role to play in the team. Today also, he played 50 oddballs. He just needs to convert those starts. It's going to happen very soon" - he added.

WTC Final: India's batting coach discloses what will be a fitting total against New Zealand

India enjoyed a fairly favourable Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Saturday as the Virat Kohli-led outfit posted 146/3 amid disruptions due to bad light. Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave India a solid start as the duo posted an opening 62-run stand. <o:p></o:p>

Rohit and Gill, both playing their first Test in England as Team India openers, were cautious and aggressive with their approach at the same time with the blend pushing New Zealand’s start with the ball on the back foot. While Trent Boult and Tim Southee were a bit awry in the first spell with the new ball, Rohit and Gill made sure to pounce on the bad deliveries and keep the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace. <o:p></o:p>

While the duo threw their wickets away after settling down in overcast conditions in Southampton against a world-class New Zealand pace attack, India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour lauded the Rohit and Gill for showing patience under challenging conditions but also showing intent to keep pushing the pressure back on the bowlers. <o:p></o:p>

“They batted well. I would give a lot of credit to even Rohit and I think Gill, as well, because I think they started off really well. It was&nbsp;pretty challenging conditions when we started. It was a fresh wicket, we lost the toss, and it was overcast throughout the day. So credit to the batters. I thought they showed a lot of restraint, a lot of discipline, and I think we have ended it pretty well,” Rathour said at the post-day press conference after Day 2.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-sneh-rana-becomes-first-indian-cricketer-to-script-unique-record-on-test-debut-392722" hreflang="en">Cricket: Sneh Rana becomes first Indian cricketer to script unique record on Test debut</a>

<o:p></o:p>

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As you'd expect from two classy back foot players, India have punished anything too short today. On the back foot, Gill and Rohit have scored 27 runs from 30 deliveries. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTCFinal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTCFinal</a>
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricvizanalyst/status/1406202644197167104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rohit and Gill being naturally aggressive batters didn’t leave a chance to showcase their stroke-play as the duo played a few cracking strokes. While Rohit’s cover-drives and back-foot punch brought on cheers from the Southampton crowd, Gill’s pull shots left the crowd and millions of viewers in awe. <o:p></o:p>

Rathour opined that they can take the attack away and put pressure on the bowling side due to their dominating style of batting.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-it-was-a-good-day-for-test-cricket-says-new-zealand-pacer-kyle-jamieson-392684" hreflang="en">WTC Final: It was a good day for Test cricket, says New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson</a><o:p></o:p>

“Yeah, of course, if they come good, they can take an attack away and really put pressure on the bowling side. They showed that today. Unfortunately, both of them got out after getting set, but one of the days I'm sure one of them is going to carry on, and that could be the day when we can have a really, really good start. You know, both of them playing the way they play can put a lot of pressure on the bowling side.” Rathour explained.

<o:p>With Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane at the crease, India would be looking to continue their run-flow when play starts at Day 3. India were on 146/3 at stumps, on Day 2.</o:p>

India enjoyed a fairly favourable Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Saturday as the Virat Kohli-led outfit posted 146/3 amid disruptions due to bad light.

India enjoyed a fairly favourable Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Saturday as the Virat Kohli-led outfit posted 146/3 amid disruptions due to bad light. Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave India a solid start as the duo posted an opening 62-run stand. Rohit and Gill, both playing their first Test in England as Team India openers, were cautious and aggressive with their approach at the same time with the blend pushing New Zealand’s start with the ball on the back foot. While Trent Boult and Tim Southee were a bit awry in the first spell with the new ball, Rohit and Gill made sure to pounce on the bad deliveries and keep the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace. While the duo threw their wickets away after settling down in overcast conditions in Southampton against a world-class New Zealand pace attack, India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour lauded the Rohit and Gill for showing patience under challenging conditions but also showing intent to keep pushing the pressure back on the bowlers. “They batted well. I would give a lot of credit to even Rohit and I think Gill, as well, because I think they started off really well. It was pretty challenging conditions when we started. It was a fresh wicket, we lost the toss, and it was overcast throughout the day. So credit to the batters. I thought they showed a lot of restraint, a lot of discipline, and I think we have ended it pretty well,” Rathour said at the post-day press conference after Day 2. ALSO READ: Cricket: Sneh Rana becomes first Indian cricketer to script unique record on Test debut As you'd expect from two classy back foot players, India have punished anything too short today. On the back foot, Gill and Rohit have scored 27 runs from 30 deliveries. #WTCFinal — The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) June 19, 2021 × Rohit and Gill being naturally aggressive batters didn’t leave a chance to showcase their stroke-play as the duo played a few cracking strokes. While Rohit’s cover-drives and back-foot punch brought on cheers from the Southampton crowd, Gill’s pull shots left the crowd and millions of viewers in awe. Rathour opined that they can take the attack away and put pressure on the bowling side due to their dominating style of batting. ALSO READ: WTC Final: It was a good day for Test cricket, says New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson “Yeah, of course, if they come good, they can take an attack away and really put pressure on the bowling side. They showed that today. Unfortunately, both of them got out after getting set, but one of the days I'm sure one of them is going to carry on, and that could be the day when we can have a really, really good start. You know, both of them playing the way they play can put a lot of pressure on the bowling side.” Rathour explained. With Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane at the crease, India would be looking to continue their run-flow when play starts at Day 3. India were on 146/3 at stumps, on Day 2.

WTC Final: 'They can take an attack away' - Vikram Rathour lauds Rohit Sharma-Shubman Gill's opening pairing

Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start to the Men in Blue after Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to field first at Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at Rose Bowl in Southampton.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-there-is-advantage-to-new-zealand-vvs-laxman-after-kane-williamson-wins-toss-392622" hreflang="en">WTC Final- 'There is advantage to New Zealand': VVS Laxman after Kane Williamson wins toss</a>

The duo put up 62 runs on the stand for the opening wicket before Sharma got dismissed on 34, whereas, Gill got dismissed on 28 by Jamieson and Wagner respectively.&nbsp;

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar lauded the opening pair and said that the pair disturbed New Zealand seamers' rhythm while speaking to Star Sports on Lunch.&nbsp;

"It looked good for India purely because the way both the batters applied themselves. They were proactive in their approach. They were reactive. They were not wanting to hang back and see how things goes. They were standing outside the crease," Bangar said.

"At times, they were walking towards the bowlers, which was done by Shubman Gill on a regular basis. Just to disturb the lengths of the New Zealand bowler. I felt that they succeeded in that because they disturbed the lengths, New Zealand had to try out different field placements at times, which normally they would not have done.

"If India had stuck to a traditional approach, but India were proactive and hence they got the upper hand in first hour," he signed off. &nbsp;

Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start to the Men in Blue after Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to field first at Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start to the Men in Blue after Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to field first at Day 2 of the World Test Championship final at Rose Bowl in Southampton. ALSO READ: WTC Final- 'There is advantage to New Zealand': VVS Laxman after Kane Williamson wins toss The duo put up 62 runs on the stand for the opening wicket before Sharma got dismissed on 34, whereas, Gill got dismissed on 28 by Jamieson and Wagner respectively. Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar lauded the opening pair and said that the pair disturbed New Zealand seamers' rhythm while speaking to Star Sports on Lunch. "It looked good for India purely because the way both the batters applied themselves. They were proactive in their approach. They were reactive. They were not wanting to hang back and see how things goes. They were standing outside the crease," Bangar said. "At times, they were walking towards the bowlers, which was done by Shubman Gill on a regular basis. Just to disturb the lengths of the New Zealand bowler. I felt that they succeeded in that because they disturbed the lengths, New Zealand had to try out different field placements at times, which normally they would not have done. "If India had stuck to a traditional approach, but India were proactive and hence they got the upper hand in first hour," he signed off.

WTC Final- 'India were proactive': Sanjay Bangar lauds Team India's opening pair

Indian opener Shubman Gill has shared some stories about his on-field visits with accomplices Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal.&nbsp;

Shubman Gill reviewed how both senior openers gave him the advantage from not taking&nbsp;the strike on the first ball&nbsp;during his debut Test series against Australia.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-bangladesh-all-rounder-shakib-al-hasan-suspended-for-three-matches-over-umpire-outburst-391140" hreflang="en">Cricket: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan suspended for three matches over umpire outburst</a>

He likewise recalled his bungle in the second Test against England, where he, when all is said and done, requested the strike and got out for a three-ball duck. Shubman Gill said he actually doesn't have a clarification for why he did it yet stated that he wouldn't rehash a similar mix-up at any point in the near future.&nbsp;

In a conversation with The Grade Cricketer, Shubman Gill said: "Never! I remember in my debut innings that Mayank was kind enough to say 'Okay, I know you are under pressure so I will take the strike' and he took the strike in both innings. And then in the next match, I was supposed to take the strike but Mayank didn't play, Rohit bhai played."

"Rohit himself said: 'I know you are a youngster, so I will take the strike.' From there on, he took the strike every game until that match against England. I don't know why I told him that I will take the strike and obviously, that didn't work for me, I got out on the 3rd or 4th ball on a duck. But yes, that won't happen again anytime soon."

When asked how well before the game he and Rohit Sharma would choose who takes the strike, Shubman Gill timidly answered that it could happen whenever, even minutes before a game.&nbsp;

"Honestly, it can happen anytime. Like once, I remember we were almost in the middle, we were tapping our bats and I asked Rohit 'Can you please take the strike?'. Because Mitchell Starc was going on his run-up and I was trying to search the non-striker's end,"

Shubman Gill additionally scored a 135-ball 85 in an intra-squad match as of late, hence solidifying his place considerably further for the World Test Championship that will commence on 18th June.

Indian opener Shubman Gill has shared some stories about his on-field visits with accomplices Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. Shubman Gill reviewed how both senior openers gave him the advantage from not taking the strike on the first ball during his debut Test series against Australia.

Indian opener Shubman Gill has shared some stories about his on-field visits with accomplices Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. Shubman Gill reviewed how both senior openers gave him the advantage from not taking the strike on the first ball during his debut Test series against Australia. ALSO READ: Cricket: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan suspended for three matches over umpire outburst He likewise recalled his bungle in the second Test against England, where he, when all is said and done, requested the strike and got out for a three-ball duck. Shubman Gill said he actually doesn't have a clarification for why he did it yet stated that he wouldn't rehash a similar mix-up at any point in the near future. In a conversation with The Grade Cricketer, Shubman Gill said: "Never! I remember in my debut innings that Mayank was kind enough to say 'Okay, I know you are under pressure so I will take the strike' and he took the strike in both innings. And then in the next match, I was supposed to take the strike but Mayank didn't play, Rohit bhai played." "Rohit himself said: 'I know you are a youngster, so I will take the strike.' From there on, he took the strike every game until that match against England. I don't know why I told him that I will take the strike and obviously, that didn't work for me, I got out on the 3rd or 4th ball on a duck. But yes, that won't happen again anytime soon." When asked how well before the game he and Rohit Sharma would choose who takes the strike, Shubman Gill timidly answered that it could happen whenever, even minutes before a game. "Honestly, it can happen anytime. Like once, I remember we were almost in the middle, we were tapping our bats and I asked Rohit 'Can you please take the strike?'. Because Mitchell Starc was going on his run-up and I was trying to search the non-striker's end," Shubman Gill additionally scored a 135-ball 85 in an intra-squad match as of late, hence solidifying his place considerably further for the World Test Championship that will commence on 18th June.

Cricket: Shubman Gill shares stories about his on-field visits with Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh suggested that he will go ahead with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill and open the innings for Virat and Co. in the World Test Championship Finals against New Zealand.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-with-better-facilities-i-wouldve-played-for-the-india-at-a-younger-age-virender-sehwag-390395" hreflang="en">Cricket: 'With better facilities, I would've played for the India at a younger age' - Virender Sehwag</a>

Team India have experimented with their opening combination in their recent matches. They kicked off the Australian series with the opening combination of Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal, which failed. After Rohit Sharma's arrival, he and Shubman Gill opened for the Indian team.&nbsp;

“Rohit Sharma is very experienced now in Test matches. He has almost 7 hundreds as an opener. But both Rohit and Shubman Gill have not opened in England ever,” Yuvraj told Sports Tak.

He talked about the challenges of the swinging Dukes ball in England and how Gill and Rohit need to be wary&nbsp;of it.

“They know the challenge, the Dukes Ball swings early. They have to get used to the conditions quickly,” he added.

“In England, it's important to take it one session at a time. In the morning, the ball swings and seams, in the afternoon you can score runs, after Tea, it swings again. As a batsman, if you can adapt to these things, you can be successful,” the former left-hander said.

Yuvraj Singh batted for a best of three finals in order to decide the winner of the World Test Championship finals.&nbsp;

“I feel in a situation like this, there should be a best of 3 Tests, because if you lose the first one then you can come back in the next two. India will have a slight disadvantage because New Zealand are already playing Test cricket in England,” he said.

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh suggested that he will go ahead with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill and open the innings for Virat and Co. in the World Test Championship Finals against New Zealand.

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh suggested that he will go ahead with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill and open the innings for Virat and Co. in the World Test Championship Finals against New Zealand. ALSO READ: Cricket: 'With better facilities, I would've played for the India at a younger age' - Virender Sehwag Team India have experimented with their opening combination in their recent matches. They kicked off the Australian series with the opening combination of Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal, which failed. After Rohit Sharma's arrival, he and Shubman Gill opened for the Indian team. “Rohit Sharma is very experienced now in Test matches. He has almost 7 hundreds as an opener. But both Rohit and Shubman Gill have not opened in England ever,” Yuvraj told Sports Tak. He talked about the challenges of the swinging Dukes ball in England and how Gill and Rohit need to be wary of it. “They know the challenge, the Dukes Ball swings early. They have to get used to the conditions quickly,” he added. “In England, it's important to take it one session at a time. In the morning, the ball swings and seams, in the afternoon you can score runs, after Tea, it swings again. As a batsman, if you can adapt to these things, you can be successful,” the former left-hander said. Yuvraj Singh batted for a best of three finals in order to decide the winner of the World Test Championship finals. “I feel in a situation like this, there should be a best of 3 Tests, because if you lose the first one then you can come back in the next two. India will have a slight disadvantage because New Zealand are already playing Test cricket in England,” he said.

Cricket: Yuvraj Singh predicts opening duo of Team India for WTC Finals

Yuvraj Singh has said that the impending World Test Championship final between&nbsp;Team India and New Zealand ought to have been a three-match affair. Team India will face New Zealand in the much-anticipated last of the ICC WTC which starts on June 18 in Southampton. The Indian squad has arrived in the United Kingdom on June 3 and is isolating prior to hitting the nets.&nbsp;

As per Yuvraj, a one-off Test puts India at a 'slight disadvantage' since New Zealand is as of now playing in England.&nbsp;

Before Yuvraj, Kapil Dev and current Team India head coach Ravi Shastri had additionally opined for the World Test Championship final to be a best-of-three experience.&nbsp;

Addressing Sports Tak, Yuvraj Singh clarified his perspectives and said:&nbsp;“I feel in a situation like this, there should be a best of 3 Tests, because if you lose the first one then you can come back in the next two. India will have a slight disadvantage because New Zealand are already playing Test cricket in England.“There are 8-10 practice sessions but there’s no substitute for match practice. It will be an even contest but New Zealand will have an edge.”

Team India will confront New Zealand in the WTC final in Southampton on June 18. New Zealand, then again, is taking on England in the first of the two Tests at Lord's.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-yuvraj-singh-echoes-ravi-shastris-stand-says-wtc-final-should-have-been-three-match-series-389806" hreflang="en">Cricket: Yuvraj Singh echoes Ravi Shastri's stand, says WTC final should have been three-match series</a>

In spite of the conspicuous disservice, Yuvraj Singh attested that Team India have a more strong batting line-up in contrast with New Zealand.&nbsp;

“I do believe India is very strong because lately, we have been winning outside the country. I think our batting is stronger, in bowling they are at par.”&nbsp;

As indicated by Yuvraj Singh, Team India's openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill should adjust to the Dukes' ball since they will play their first Test in England as openers. He said:&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-have-few-problems-with-ashwin-being-called-an-all-time-great-sanjay-manjrekar-disagrees-with-ian-chappell-389803" hreflang="en">Cricket: ‘Have few problems with Ashwin being called an all-time great’ – Sanjay Manjrekar disagrees with Ian Chappell</a>

“Rohit Sharma is very experienced now in Test matches. He has almost seven&nbsp;hundreds, four&nbsp;hundreds as an opener. But both Rohit and Shubman Gill have not opened in England ever. They know the challenge, the Dukes Ball swings early. They have to get used to the conditions quickly.“In England, it’s important to take it one session at a time. In the morning, the ball swings and seams, in the afternoon you can score runs, after Tea, it swings again. As a batsman, if you can adapt to these things, you can be successful.”

Yuvraj Singh additionally backed Shubman Gill to do well in England. Shubman Gill made an amazing Test debut in Australia, however battled at home against England. He said:&nbsp;

“Shubman is a very young guy, still inexperienced but he should feel confident about his success in Australia. So, if he has the belief, he can do well anywhere else in the world.”

After the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, India will take on England in a five-match Test series, beginning from August 4 in&nbsp;Nottingham.

Yuvraj Singh has said that the impending World Test Championship final between Team India and New Zealand ought to have been a three-match affair. Team India will face New Zealand in the much-anticipated last of the ICC WTC which starts on June 18 in Southampton.

Yuvraj Singh has said that the impending World Test Championship final between Team India and New Zealand ought to have been a three-match affair. Team India will face New Zealand in the much-anticipated last of the ICC WTC which starts on June 18 in Southampton. The Indian squad has arrived in the United Kingdom on June 3 and is isolating prior to hitting the nets. As per Yuvraj, a one-off Test puts India at a 'slight disadvantage' since New Zealand is as of now playing in England. Before Yuvraj, Kapil Dev and current Team India head coach Ravi Shastri had additionally opined for the World Test Championship final to be a best-of-three experience. Addressing Sports Tak, Yuvraj Singh clarified his perspectives and said: “I feel in a situation like this, there should be a best of 3 Tests, because if you lose the first one then you can come back in the next two. India will have a slight disadvantage because New Zealand are already playing Test cricket in England.“There are 8-10 practice sessions but there’s no substitute for match practice. It will be an even contest but New Zealand will have an edge.” Team India will confront New Zealand in the WTC final in Southampton on June 18. New Zealand, then again, is taking on England in the first of the two Tests at Lord's. ALSO READ: Cricket: Yuvraj Singh echoes Ravi Shastri's stand, says WTC final should have been three-match series In spite of the conspicuous disservice, Yuvraj Singh attested that Team India have a more strong batting line-up in contrast with New Zealand. “I do believe India is very strong because lately, we have been winning outside the country. I think our batting is stronger, in bowling they are at par.” As indicated by Yuvraj Singh, Team India's openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill should adjust to the Dukes' ball since they will play their first Test in England as openers. He said: ALSO READ: Cricket: ‘Have few problems with Ashwin being called an all-time great’ – Sanjay Manjrekar disagrees with Ian Chappell “Rohit Sharma is very experienced now in Test matches. He has almost seven hundreds, four hundreds as an opener. But both Rohit and Shubman Gill have not opened in England ever. They know the challenge, the Dukes Ball swings early. They have to get used to the conditions quickly.“In England, it’s important to take it one session at a time. In the morning, the ball swings and seams, in the afternoon you can score runs, after Tea, it swings again. As a batsman, if you can adapt to these things, you can be successful.” Yuvraj Singh additionally backed Shubman Gill to do well in England. Shubman Gill made an amazing Test debut in Australia, however battled at home against England. He said: “Shubman is a very young guy, still inexperienced but he should feel confident about his success in Australia. So, if he has the belief, he can do well anywhere else in the world.” After the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, India will take on England in a five-match Test series, beginning from August 4 in Nottingham.

Cricket: Yuvraj Singh reveals why India will have 'slight disadvantage' in WTC Final vs New Zealand

Shubman Gill has revealed a portion of his on and off-field talks with Indian captain Virat Kohli and star-batsman Rohit Sharma and&nbsp;said assessing ever-changing conditions in England and playing out sessions will be key for him during the approaching Test matches.

The 21-year-old said on Monday that Virat Kohli is his go-to man for all 'mindset worries'. Gill added that the captain frequently persuades young players to play expressively and shares his experiences to help them through their anxieties.

In an interview with IndiaTV, Shubman Gill said: "Whenever we talk to Virat bhai, he always tries to motivate us and says that as a youngster we can play fearlessly and on our free will. Mostly the talk is about mindset. Whenever I feel that I am not in a good frame of mind I talk to him, he always motivates me and shares his own experiences, of being a youngster in the team, with me."&nbsp;

Shubman Gill has played the greater part of his budding career under Virat Kohli, which incorporates a five-Test series against England and three ODIs against New Zealand and Australia.

The youngster has lined up with Rohit Sharma's resurgence as an opener in red-ball cricket. The pair's strong and reliable opening alliances in Australia were instrumental in India's notable turnaround.&nbsp;

The right-handed batsman said he and Rohit Sharma mostly talk about the match when they are at the crease.

"Yes, whenever I am batting with Rohit bhai, we talk about where a particular bowler can bowl, where he is looking to get us out, what the situation is, whether we should not take any risk or if we are set, where should we try to attack, etc," Gill said.

Shubman Gill is set to play the most significant match of his career so far - the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand. The opener guaranteed the Indian team is taking certainty from its new accomplishment on overseas visits and are along these lines solid and steady for the ultimate clash.&nbsp;

"Yes, we had a great performance in Australia and we are doing very well in overseas tours for the past few years. So, our confidence is very high and we feel we can't be better prepared for this final,"&nbsp;he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-kohli-isnt-the-highest-paid-captain-in-international-cricket-check-full-list-of-skippers-and-salaries-in-2021-386865" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021</a>

India will likewise play a five-Test series against England after the World Test Championship Final.&nbsp;

Consistent disappointments at the top-order were one of the reasons why India couldn't overcome the Test arrangement against England in 2018 and New Zealand in 2020. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have shown that they can agitate this pattern and these impending six Tests will be the ideal litmus test for the new pair.

“The 21-year-old, who made his Test debut in Australia a few months back and has played seven Test matches till date, scoring 378 runs, added that India's exhibition in Australia where they won the Test series 2-1 will add to certainty.” – he asserted.

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On asking about the new normal and quarantine period: “Quarantine period is very tough because for 14 days you are only in one room, with not much to do. But we still do workouts in our rooms and keep ourselves busy in some way or the other. We watch movies on iPad. Otherwise, we play games, do workouts and try and keep ourselves as busy as possible. Quarantine is very hard,"&nbsp;he signed off.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Shubman Gill has revealed a portion of his on and off-field talks with Indian captain Virat Kohli and star-batsman Rohit Sharma and said assessing ever-changing conditions in England and playing out sessions will be key for him during the approaching Test matches.

Shubman Gill has revealed a portion of his on and off-field talks with Indian captain Virat Kohli and star-batsman Rohit Sharma and said assessing ever-changing conditions in England and playing out sessions will be key for him during the approaching Test matches. The 21-year-old said on Monday that Virat Kohli is his go-to man for all 'mindset worries'. Gill added that the captain frequently persuades young players to play expressively and shares his experiences to help them through their anxieties. In an interview with IndiaTV, Shubman Gill said: "Whenever we talk to Virat bhai, he always tries to motivate us and says that as a youngster we can play fearlessly and on our free will. Mostly the talk is about mindset. Whenever I feel that I am not in a good frame of mind I talk to him, he always motivates me and shares his own experiences, of being a youngster in the team, with me." Shubman Gill has played the greater part of his budding career under Virat Kohli, which incorporates a five-Test series against England and three ODIs against New Zealand and Australia. The youngster has lined up with Rohit Sharma's resurgence as an opener in red-ball cricket. The pair's strong and reliable opening alliances in Australia were instrumental in India's notable turnaround. The right-handed batsman said he and Rohit Sharma mostly talk about the match when they are at the crease. "Yes, whenever I am batting with Rohit bhai, we talk about where a particular bowler can bowl, where he is looking to get us out, what the situation is, whether we should not take any risk or if we are set, where should we try to attack, etc," Gill said. Shubman Gill is set to play the most significant match of his career so far - the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand. The opener guaranteed the Indian team is taking certainty from its new accomplishment on overseas visits and are along these lines solid and steady for the ultimate clash. "Yes, we had a great performance in Australia and we are doing very well in overseas tours for the past few years. So, our confidence is very high and we feel we can't be better prepared for this final," he added. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli isn't the highest-paid captain in international cricket! - Check full list of skippers and salaries in 2021 India will likewise play a five-Test series against England after the World Test Championship Final. Consistent disappointments at the top-order were one of the reasons why India couldn't overcome the Test arrangement against England in 2018 and New Zealand in 2020. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have shown that they can agitate this pattern and these impending six Tests will be the ideal litmus test for the new pair. “The 21-year-old, who made his Test debut in Australia a few months back and has played seven Test matches till date, scoring 378 runs, added that India's exhibition in Australia where they won the Test series 2-1 will add to certainty.” – he asserted. ALSO READ: Cricket: 'Dad and I responsible for it' - Prithvi Shaw opens up about the eight-month doping ban On asking about the new normal and quarantine period: “Quarantine period is very tough because for 14 days you are only in one room, with not much to do. But we still do workouts in our rooms and keep ourselves busy in some way or the other. We watch movies on iPad. Otherwise, we play games, do workouts and try and keep ourselves as busy as possible. Quarantine is very hard," he signed off.

Cricket: 'Assessing conditions will be key to batting in England': Shubman Gill

Sunil Gavaskar has believed that the pressing factor of developing assumptions following an effective Test debut in Australia might be burdening Shubman Gill.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/had-only-heard-about-it-abhimanyu-easwaran-on-training-with-virat-kohli-and-cheteshwar-pujara-383702" hreflang="en">'Had only heard about it': Abhimanyu Easwaran on training with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara</a>

Shubman Gill was among the numerous novices in the Indian group who stood out in the Test series in Australia. In three Tests, Shubman Gill amassed 291 runs at an average of 51.80 with two fifties. His best of 91 came in the memorable Test win at the Gabba.&nbsp; 
In any case, Shubman Gill battled for familiarity with the home series against England. The 21-year-old oversaw just 119 runs in four Tests at an average of 19.83 with a best of 50.&nbsp;

After a noteworthy Test debut in Australia, Shubman Gill tracked down the going extreme in the home series against England. He didn't look agreeable against the ball that wasn't going onto the bat. However, he was so acceptable Down Under that Team India are probably going to back him as Rohit Sharma's initial accomplice, regardless of Mayank Agarwal discovering some form in the IPL.

Translating Shubman Gill's battles, Sunil Gavaskar revealed to Star Sports that things have changed for the youngster after the accomplishment in Australia and he needs to adjust in like manner. As indicated by Sunil Gavaskar:

“I think what I feel about Shubman Gill is that suddenly, the pressure of expectation is getting to him. Before this, it was different. He was just a young promising newcomer, but now with the performances in Australia, the expectation is that he is going to score, and maybe that pressure of expectation is weighing him down."

"He just needs to relax. He is just a 21-year-old kid. There will be failures and he has to learn from those failures. He's just got to open and play freely, without worrying about expectations. The runs will come if he plays his natural game. Trying to play across the line and trying to score off every delivery because of the pressure of expectation, he's actually getting himself out."

After a helpless Test series against England, Shubman Gill's troubles with the bat proceeded in IPL 2021 also. Opening the innings for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he neglected to furnish the franchisee with the ideal fast beginnings at the top order. He played seven matches for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021, yet just oversaw 132 runs at a hit pace of 117.85 with a best of 43. Last season, Shubman Gill figured out how to score up 440 runs in 14 games. Notwithstanding, he stayed under the scanner over his helpless strike rate of 117.96. 
&nbsp;

Sunil Gavaskar has believed that the pressing factor of developing assumptions following an effective Test debut in Australia might be burdening Shubman Gill. ALSO READ: 'Had only heard about it': Abhimanyu Easwaran on training with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara Shubman Gill was among the numerous novices in the Indian group who stood out in the Test series in Australia.

Sunil Gavaskar has believed that the pressing factor of developing assumptions following an effective Test debut in Australia might be burdening Shubman Gill. ALSO READ: 'Had only heard about it': Abhimanyu Easwaran on training with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara Shubman Gill was among the numerous novices in the Indian group who stood out in the Test series in Australia. In three Tests, Shubman Gill amassed 291 runs at an average of 51.80 with two fifties. His best of 91 came in the memorable Test win at the Gabba. In any case, Shubman Gill battled for familiarity with the home series against England. The 21-year-old oversaw just 119 runs in four Tests at an average of 19.83 with a best of 50. After a noteworthy Test debut in Australia, Shubman Gill tracked down the going extreme in the home series against England. He didn't look agreeable against the ball that wasn't going onto the bat. However, he was so acceptable Down Under that Team India are probably going to back him as Rohit Sharma's initial accomplice, regardless of Mayank Agarwal discovering some form in the IPL. Translating Shubman Gill's battles, Sunil Gavaskar revealed to Star Sports that things have changed for the youngster after the accomplishment in Australia and he needs to adjust in like manner. As indicated by Sunil Gavaskar: “I think what I feel about Shubman Gill is that suddenly, the pressure of expectation is getting to him. Before this, it was different. He was just a young promising newcomer, but now with the performances in Australia, the expectation is that he is going to score, and maybe that pressure of expectation is weighing him down." "He just needs to relax. He is just a 21-year-old kid. There will be failures and he has to learn from those failures. He's just got to open and play freely, without worrying about expectations. The runs will come if he plays his natural game. Trying to play across the line and trying to score off every delivery because of the pressure of expectation, he's actually getting himself out." After a helpless Test series against England, Shubman Gill's troubles with the bat proceeded in IPL 2021 also. Opening the innings for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he neglected to furnish the franchisee with the ideal fast beginnings at the top order. He played seven matches for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2021, yet just oversaw 132 runs at a hit pace of 117.85 with a best of 43. Last season, Shubman Gill figured out how to score up 440 runs in 14 games. Notwithstanding, he stayed under the scanner over his helpless strike rate of 117.96.

'The pressure of expectation is weighing him down' - Sunil Gavaskar on Shubman Gill's batting despondency

Shubman Gill earned the respect of several cricketing stalwarts after his heroics against Australia in the Test series earlier this year. However, the 21-year-old has been unable to continue his sublime form from England series.&nbsp;

IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-pat-cummins-to-sachin-tendulkar-cricketing-stalwarts-who-donated-in-indias-fight-against-covid-19-381735" hreflang="en">From Pat Cummins to Sachin Tendulkar: Cricketing stalwarts who donated in India's fight against COVID-19</a>

Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen also was impressed with Shubman Gill's knocks on Australian soil. However, he has not been impressed with his recent knocks in the ongoing IPL. In the current season, Shubman Gill has had an underwhelming impact.&nbsp;He scored 15, 33, 21, 0, 11, 9 and 43 for KKR in the past seven matches.&nbsp;

"Let's talk a little bit about Shubman Gill because I think that guy is so good. I absolutely love him as a player. I've been watching him quite closely recently and I think Gill needs to get a little busy at the crease. If he can do that, he can then get himself going. He just seems so lazy," Pietersen said on the Star Sports pre-match show.

"Some of his dismissals. Some of his dismissals are really low and it looks like he doesn't really fit the speed of the game. You can get as a batter very lazy and I think he's too lazy at the moment. He's too accommodating. I'd just like him to get a little bit busier and more proactive. Then he won't miss those balls on his legs and start hitting them. I want to see purpose when he bats," the former England captain explained.

Shubman Gill earned the respect of several cricketing stalwarts after his heroics against Australia in the Test series earlier this year. However, the 21-year-old has been unable to continue his sublime form from England series.

Shubman Gill earned the respect of several cricketing stalwarts after his heroics against Australia in the Test series earlier this year. However, the 21-year-old has been unable to continue his sublime form from England series. IN PICS: From Pat Cummins to Sachin Tendulkar: Cricketing stalwarts who donated in India's fight against COVID-19 Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen also was impressed with Shubman Gill's knocks on Australian soil. However, he has not been impressed with his recent knocks in the ongoing IPL. In the current season, Shubman Gill has had an underwhelming impact. He scored 15, 33, 21, 0, 11, 9 and 43 for KKR in the past seven matches. "Let's talk a little bit about Shubman Gill because I think that guy is so good. I absolutely love him as a player. I've been watching him quite closely recently and I think Gill needs to get a little busy at the crease. If he can do that, he can then get himself going. He just seems so lazy," Pietersen said on the Star Sports pre-match show. "Some of his dismissals. Some of his dismissals are really low and it looks like he doesn't really fit the speed of the game. You can get as a batter very lazy and I think he's too lazy at the moment. He's too accommodating. I'd just like him to get a little bit busier and more proactive. Then he won't miss those balls on his legs and start hitting them. I want to see purpose when he bats," the former England captain explained.

IPL 2021- 'He just seems so lazy': Kevin Pietersen on Shubman Gill's underwhelming form

Given the new struggles of Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill at the top of the order for Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Gavaskar has proposed another new pair for KKR. He believes there is a case for KKR to attempt Rahul Tripathi and Sunil Narine as openers in IPL 2021.

KKR enlisted their second win of the season against the Punjab Kings. However, they endured early blows, with Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana scoring 9 and 0, respectively.

Shubman Gill, specifically, has watched out of the structure, scoring only 89 runs in six games in IPL 2021. Sunil Gavaskar said in such a manner that KKR should hope to change their opening stand.

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"I think KKR have to make up their minds whether Sunil Narine opens the batting with Shubman Gill or Rahul Tripathi opens the batting. With Shubman Gill also – struggling and not quite there; maybe there is a case for Tripathi to open with Sunil Narine," Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports.

He also highlighted Nitish Rana has been successful at the no.3 spot in the past.

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"Nitish Rana, in the years that he has been very successful for KKR, he has been batting at No.3. So, if Rahul Tripathi can open the batting, which he used to do earlier on for the other franchises, maybe that’s the way to go for Rana," Sunil Gavaskar added.

Given the new struggles of Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill at the top of the order for Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Gavaskar has proposed another new pair for KKR. He believes there is a case for KKR to attempt Rahul Tripathi and Sunil Narine as openers in IPL 2021.

Given the new struggles of Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill at the top of the order for Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Gavaskar has proposed another new pair for KKR. He believes there is a case for KKR to attempt Rahul Tripathi and Sunil Narine as openers in IPL 2021. KKR enlisted their second win of the season against the Punjab Kings. However, they endured early blows, with Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana scoring 9 and 0, respectively. Shubman Gill, specifically, has watched out of the structure, scoring only 89 runs in six games in IPL 2021. Sunil Gavaskar said in such a manner that KKR should hope to change their opening stand. ALSO READ: KKR's Pat Cummins donates $50,000 to PM Cares Fund for oxygen supplies, urges IPL players to contribute "I think KKR have to make up their minds whether Sunil Narine opens the batting with Shubman Gill or Rahul Tripathi opens the batting. With Shubman Gill also – struggling and not quite there; maybe there is a case for Tripathi to open with Sunil Narine," Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports. He also highlighted Nitish Rana has been successful at the no.3 spot in the past. ALSO READ: Indian star Ashwin withdraws from IPL to support family in Covid fight "Nitish Rana, in the years that he has been very successful for KKR, he has been batting at No.3. So, if Rahul Tripathi can open the batting, which he used to do earlier on for the other franchises, maybe that’s the way to go for Rana," Sunil Gavaskar added.

'Shubman Gill is struggling': Sunil Gavaskar comes up with bold suggestion for KKR

Shubman Gill has said that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to avoid the net run-rate trap in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after missing out on playoff qualification in the previous edition of the tournament, played in the UAE.

KKR finished IPL 2020 with 14 points under their belt but were level with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). KKR had a net run rate of -0.214 in what was one of the tightest finishes to an IPL league stage. However, RCB qualified for the playoffs on a net run rate of 0.172.

Shubman expressed the pain of missing out by such a tight margin but said that the team would look to improve and avoid a similar situation in the ongoing edition of the T20 tournament.

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"Missing qualification on net run rate, by the barest of margins, always hurts. But there is always room for improvement. And that's what we will try to do this year and not leave it to the net run rate," Gill told The National.

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KKR would look to flourish under the full-time captaincy of Eoin Morgan and all eyes would be on Gill as to how he goes about his business in the new season.

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"You get to practice before any tournament starts, that's where you kind of adjust. You get enough time in practice sessions and match simulation, practice matches. So that is enough time to adjust," Gill said.

"The way I see it, it has been a good six seven months. The last time I played IPL, and after that I have played plenty of cricket which has given me a lot of confidence."

KKR start their IPL 2021 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Saturday.

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Shubman Gill has said that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to avoid the net run-rate trap in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after missing out on playoff qualification in the previous edition of the tournament, played in the UAE.

Shubman Gill has said that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to avoid the net run-rate trap in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after missing out on playoff qualification in the previous edition of the tournament, played in the UAE. KKR finished IPL 2020 with 14 points under their belt but were level with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). KKR had a net run rate of -0.214 in what was one of the tightest finishes to an IPL league stage. However, RCB qualified for the playoffs on a net run rate of 0.172. Shubman expressed the pain of missing out by such a tight margin but said that the team would look to improve and avoid a similar situation in the ongoing edition of the T20 tournament. ALSO READ: 'Guru vs Chela': Ravi Shastri expresses his excitement for Dhoni vs Pant clash in IPL 2021 "Missing qualification on net run rate, by the barest of margins, always hurts. But there is always room for improvement. And that's what we will try to do this year and not leave it to the net run rate," Gill told The National. × KKR would look to flourish under the full-time captaincy of Eoin Morgan and all eyes would be on Gill as to how he goes about his business in the new season. ALSO READ: Watching cricket from home? Twitter brings an extravagant experience with new features "You get to practice before any tournament starts, that's where you kind of adjust. You get enough time in practice sessions and match simulation, practice matches. So that is enough time to adjust," Gill said. "The way I see it, it has been a good six seven months. The last time I played IPL, and after that I have played plenty of cricket which has given me a lot of confidence." KKR start their IPL 2021 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Saturday.

'Always hurts...': KKR's Shubman Gill hopes to avoid net run rate trap in playoff race

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