India star players link up and train with T20I team in Auckland ahead of NZ vs IND 2026 ODIs [Watch]

India ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill has linked up with India's T20I squad in Auckland, even though he is not part of the short-format side, training with the group ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand. Apart from the ace batter, senior batter KL Rahul and pacer Gurnoor Brar were also involved in the session ahead of the penultimate T20I of the series, scheduled to be held at Eden Park on Friday, October 30.

The same venue hosts the first ODI on November 4, giving Shubman Gill a massive head start in terms of preparation for the five-match series. He leads India for the first three one-dayers, before Shreyas Iyer takes over for the last two matches of the series, as the players involved in the subsequent Test series will be withdrawn to prepare for the red-ball matches.

Have a look at Shubman Gill and others linking up and training with the T20I squad right here:

Earlier reports claim that Gill batted for a long spell in Auckland on Monday against five local bowlers, mostly with the red ball, and was training away from the T20I group at that stage. The skipper is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to preparations, as he has also reportedly paid out of pocket for five personal net bowlers, covering their travel, stay, and other expenses.

KL Rahul, on the other hand, is coming off a lean India A match at Lincoln, where he was caught behind for a duck off eight balls and made four in the second innings as the game was drawn after Devdutt Padikkal's 199. Gurnoor Brar is part of the ODI squad in the absence of high-profile names like Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Hardik Pandya.

Shubman Gill featured for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 before travelling to New Zealand

Shubman Gill recently turned out for Punjab against Chhattisgarh in the second round of the Ranji Trophy at New Chandigarh, a match Punjab won by seven wickets on October 21. His innings, however, lasted only five balls. He came in at No. 4, before being bowled by left-arm spinner Ajay Mandal in the 27th over.

Shubman Gill is yet to play a Test in the country, and India have not won a Test series there since 2009. However, he made his ODI debut in the country during the 2019 tour, scoring 9 and 7 in his first two outings, before being dropped.

India play the fifth T20I in Hamilton on November 1 before the ODI series opens in Auckland. The first Test starts at the Basin Reserve on November 19, with the second Test scheduled to be held at Hagley Oval from November 27 onwards.

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