Mohali (Punjab) [India], October 18 (ANI): Shubman Gill endured a disappointing outing for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy as the India Test captain managed just one run against Chhattisgarh on Day 1 of their Elite Group B clash in New Chandigarh on Sunday, ahead of India's must-win two-match Test series against New Zealand.
The right-handed batter, who walked in at No. 4 following Vihaan Malhotra's dismissal on the first ball of the 26th over, was bowled by Ajay Mandal on the third ball of the 27th over after facing five deliveries.
Mandal breached Gill's defence to leave Punjab at 68/3, with the India skipper having managed just a single on the second ball of his innings.
Gill was a last-minute addition to the squad, returning for some domestic red-ball cricket ahead of the New Zealand Test matches starting from November 19 onwards. Before this, he will feature in the first three ODIs of the five-match series against the Kiwis taking place from November 4 to 15, with his deputy Shreyas Iyer set to take the ODI captaincy armband once Gill leaves for Test preparation.
In three Tests this year, Gill has made 200 runs in four innings at an average of 50.00, with a ton and fifty each. He is enjoying an extraordinary international cricket run on the back of incredibly rich form in ODIs.
Across 15 international matches this year, Gill has made 1,095 runs at an average of 91.25, with four centuries and six fifties in 15 innings, with a best score of 223* against West Indies in the second ODI.
Punjab Squad: Harnoor Pannu, Vihaan Malhotra, Shubman Gill, Uday Saharan (capt), Jashanpreet Sidhu, Salil Arora (wk), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Ramandeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Emanjot Chahal, Harjas Tandon, Gurnoor Brar, Gursimran Singh, Sanvir Singh, Umesh Yadav. (ANI)
Shubman Gill scores just 1 on Ranji return ahead of crucial New Zealand Test series
