India captain Shubman Gill has expressed his excitement and nostalgia about returning to New Zealand, a country that holds a special place in his cricketing journey. Ahead of the second ODI against the Black Caps, the Indian skipper reflected on how quickly his career has progressed since his first visit as a promising young cricketer. Gill made his first trip to New Zealand for the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup, where he established himself as one of the most exciting batting prospects in world cricket.
Almost eight years later, he has returned as an experienced international batter and India’s captain, carrying plenty of memories from his early days. “Honestly, it feels like time really flew,” Shubman Gill said in a video released by the BCCI. “Just feels like 2019 was three years ago when I made my debut, played the Under-19 World Cup here. Now coming back here almost after 7-8 years, a lot of good memories here coming on the back of a lot of experience from when I played here first. It’s always nice to come here, play some good cricket.”
Gill was India’s vice-captain during the 2018 Under-19 World Cup and finished as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer. He accumulated 372 runs in five innings at an impressive average of 124.00. His campaign included a memorable century against Pakistan in the semi-final, while his consistent performances earned him the Player of the Tournament award as India lifted the trophy.
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His success at the junior level paved the way for his senior international debut against New Zealand in Hamilton on January 31, 2019. Returning to the same country as a senior member of the Indian team represents another important milestone in his career. Apart from leading India in the ODI series, Shubman Gill is also concentrating on adapting to New Zealand’s conditions ahead of the upcoming two-match Test series. The Indian captain will feature in the first three ODIs of the five-match series before being rested for the final two games to prepare for the red-ball challenge.
Made debut in New Zealand in 2019.
7 years, he is coming back 👑
As Indian Captain, Shubman Gill speaks, A legend in making.
https://t.co/uKvTIxr7nq— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 3, 2026
Shubman Gill revealed that he wanted additional training sessions before joining the team, particularly to understand the demands of batting with the red ball in overseas conditions. “I wanted to get, you know, four, five extra sessions before I joined the team, mainly because of the red ball, wanted to come here, work a little bit on my game,” he explained.
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The right-hander also stressed the importance of understanding local conditions and respecting the fundamentals required to succeed in different countries. “See how the, you know, how the red ball because I haven’t played a Test match yet… wanted to see what are actually the basics. There are, you know, basics, every country you go to… that you have to play at, and respect and in their conditions, and I just wanted to learn those basics.”
The two-Test series between India and New Zealand is scheduled to begin in Wellington on November 19.
