India Drop Star Batter As Shubman Gill Returns From Injury In 2nd Test Against New Zealand

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India’s playing XI saw the comeback of Shubman Gill, while New Zealand, after winning the toss, chose to bat first in the second Test held in Pune on Thursday.

In Pune on Thursday, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat as Shubman Gill made a comeback to India’s playing XI. Following an eight-wicket loss in the series opener in Bengaluru last week, the hosts underwent three significant changes. Gill, who missed the first Test due to a stiff neck, has fully recovered as confirmed by head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the second Test. The young talent replaced the out-of-form KL Rahul, while Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav were omitted from the team. Akash Deep and Washington Sundar took the places of Kuldeep and Siraj in the playing XI.

In the meantime, New Zealand decided to swap one player in their starting lineup, opting for left-arm spinner Mitchell Santer instead of the injured fast bowler Matt Henry.

In Pune, Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, expressed his preference for batting first.

During the toss, Rohit emphasized the importance of playing good cricket regardless of the pitch conditions. He highlighted the team’s resilience in trying to regain control of the game, despite the limited runs scored. Acknowledging the significance of the initial overs, he also mentioned making strategic changes for the upcoming match.

The pitch could potentially generate some spin, typical of his locality. Securing the victory was indeed a moment of great pride. While we celebrated this achievement, our attention has now shifted towards Pune. Adapting to the pitch quickly is crucial for us. We have a favorable chance to excel in batting. The opposing captain mentioned a single alteration.

Playing for the India XI are Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma as the captain, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Presenting the New Zealand XI squad led by Tom Latham, featuring Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell as the wicketkeeper, Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, and William O’Rourke.