New Delhi: At a time when all of his teammates are enjoying the break, India batter Shubman Gill decided to hit the nets ahead of the fifth and final Test match against England in Dharamsala. India have already won the series via a 3-1 lead with the final encounter starting on March 7. It is understood, Gill is training under the supervision of his father Lakhwinder Singh before the Dharamsala Test. Notably, a lot of his Indian team members are busy attending the pre-wedding festivities of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Gujarat’s Jamnagar.
Shubman Gill practicing with his father before the dharmsala test #ShubmanGill #indvseng pic.twitter.com/2qvXOlqKEe
— Shubman Gill Brilliant Inning (@ShubmanSnapchat) March 1, 2024
Batting at his new-chosen position at No.3, Gill entered the series with a lot of criticism for his below-par show in the longest format of the game. But the right-hander showed he belongs to the top level with a century and a flurry of half centuries.
The youngster started with a 23 and a 0 in his first two innings in Hyderabad before getting a lease of life with a much-needed hundred in the second Test match in Visakhapatnam. That century not only game him confidence but also momentum as he scored 0, 91, 38 and 52 in the third and fourth Tests, playing a crucial role during India’s wins in both games.
The highlight of his show in this series so far has to be the 52-run knock off 124 deliveries under pressure in the fourth Test in Ranchi. His 72-run unbeaten stand in the fourth innings of the same game also helped India seal the series. After the Test series, Gill will lead Gujarat Giants in IPL 2024.
Meanwhile, India made a few changes in the squad for the fifth and final Test match. KL Rahul, whose participation in the final game was subject to fitness, has been ruled out of the encounte. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring him and coordinating with specialists in London for further management of his issue.
Jasprit Bumrah who was released from the squad for the 4th Test in Ranchi, returns to the side in Dharamsala for the fifth Test. Washington Sundar has been released from the squad. He will join Tamil Nadu – his state side – for their Ranji Trophy semifinal fixture against Mumbai, starting March 2. He will join the India squad after the completion of the domestic fixture for the fifth Test, if need be.
India’s updated squad for the 5th Test: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep.