India’s Test captain Shubman Gill is set to return to red-ball cricket by representing Punjab in the Ranji Trophy 2025–26, and he has made it clear that he wants other Indian Test regulars to follow the same path. With the second phase of the Ranji Trophy beginning on January 22, senior players such as KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy are also expected to turn out for their respective domestic sides. However, Mumbai opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will miss out due to unavailability.
According to a report in The Times of India, Gill is keen for India’s Test core to play at least one Ranji Trophy match before switching focus to the IPL 2026 season. With India not scheduled to play Test cricket until August, Gill believes domestic red-ball matches offer the ideal platform to stay in rhythm and bridge the gap between international assignments and franchise cricket.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the India–New Zealand ODI series, Gill highlighted how lack of preparation time has affected India in recent Test campaigns. He stressed that transitioning between formats, especially from white-ball cricket to the demands of red-ball cricket, requires adequate match practice.
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“In the last couple of Test series we played, we didn’t really get enough time to prepare. It’s not easy playing in a different country and then switching formats immediately, especially after long tours,” Shubman Gill said. “When you move from white-ball to red-ball cricket, preparation becomes even more important. That’s something I feel strongly about, and we’ll definitely keep this in mind going forward.”
Shubman Gill in Today’s Practice Session For Ranji Trophy!!!!! pic.twitter.com/8KBUonJvoy
— 🚩🇮🇳 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐑 𝟏𝟖 ❤️ (@82_mohali__) January 21, 2026
Gill’s stance reflects a growing emphasis in Indian cricket on strengthening domestic cricket and ensuring Test players remain connected to first-class cricket. With the IPL often dominating the calendar, encouraging top players to feature in the Ranji Trophy could help maintain India’s depth and consistency in Test cricket.
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Meanwhile, Gill’s own international future across formats continues to evolve. Despite captaining India in Tests and ODIs, the 26-year-old is not part of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Gill featured in the 2025 Asia Cup and the recent series against Australia and South Africa, but inconsistent returns in the shortest format led selectors to look elsewhere.
For now, Gill’s focus appears firmly set on red-ball excellence—both for himself and for the broader Indian Test setup—as he looks to build stronger foundations ahead of future challenges.
