India’s Test captain Shubman Gill endured a rare setback with the bat while leading Punjab in their Ranji Trophy 2025–26 Elite Group B clash against Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium C in Rajkot. The 26-year-old right-handed batter, who has been in outstanding form at the international level, failed to open his account and was dismissed for a two-ball duck on Thursday, January 22.

Gill walked out to bat at No. 5 during Punjab’s first innings, a position that required composure as early wickets had already put the team under pressure. However, his stay at the crease was short-lived. On the final delivery of the 20th over, left-arm spinner Parth Bhut trapped Gill lbw, sending the Punjab skipper back to the pavilion.

At the time of his dismissal, Punjab were reeling at 73 for 4, struggling to build momentum against a disciplined Saurashtra bowling attack. The dismissal came as a surprise given Gill’s stature and recent performances. Having made his Test captaincy debut for India against England at Leeds in June 2025, Gill went on to finish the year as the highest run-scorer in Test cricket.

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That consistency has set high expectations, making his failure in the Ranji Trophy opener all the more notable. Punjab will now hope their captain bounces back strongly in the second innings to revive their chances of staying in contention for the knockout stages.

During today’s Ranji match, Shubman Gill was actually not out. It was clearly bat first, but since there is no DRS in domestic matches, he was given out. BCCI, if you can’t provide DRS or even a proper live stream, then don’t conduct tournaments like this. pic.twitter.com/0LEZFFANgd

— MARCUS (@MARCUS907935) January 22, 2026

The match also featured star Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who turned out for Saurashtra. Batting at No. 5 in the first innings, the 37-year-old managed just seven runs off six deliveries before being dismissed by pacer Jass Inder. Jadeja’s wicket was completed by Harpreet Brar, who had an outstanding outing with the ball.

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For Punjab, Harpreet Brar emerged as the standout performer, delivering a match-defining spell. The left-arm spinner picked up six wickets for 38 runs in 18.1 overs, dismantling Saurashtra’s batting lineup. Jass Inder provided able support, claiming two wickets to keep Punjab competitive in a tightly fought Ranji Trophy encounter.

Playing XIs

Punjab: Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Shubman Gill (C), Harnoor Singh, Uday Saharan, Anmolpreet Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Sanvir Singh, Harpreet Brar, Krish Bhagat, Prerit Dutta, Jassinder Singh

Saurashtra: Harvik Desai (WK), Chirag Jani, Jay Gohil, Arpit Vasavada, Prerak Mankad, Ravindra Jadeja, Sammar Gajjar, Hetvik Kotak, Parth Bhut, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Jaydev Unadkat (C)