Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Shubman Gill to play Punjab’s match against Saurashtra

India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has decided against taking a break after the recent 50-over series loss to New Zealand and will play the next Ranji Trophy game for Punjab against Saurashtra at Rajkot, starting Thursday.

Gill, who featured in all three ODIs in the just-concluded series that India lost 1-2, has chosen to return to red-ball cricket immediately as he is not part of India’s T20 World Cup squad.

The 26-year-old is keen to help Punjab keep its slim knockout hopes alive in the premier domestic tournament.

“Shubman decided against taking any break post ODI series and it took him eight hours to reach Rajkot from Indore as there aren’t any direct flights, available,” a source close to the Punjab team told PTI.

Punjab is currently placed sixth in Group B with 11 points from five matches.

With three league games still to be played, the former champion would need outright victories in all its remaining fixtures to harbour any realistic chance of making it to the knockout stage.

VIDEO | We need to get better at converting starts and improve our catching, says Gill

Gill’s presence at the top of the order is therefore seen as crucial to Punjab’s ambitions.

The match against Saurashtra, the reigning domestic heavyweight, will also mark Gill’s first red-ball appearance since he sustained a neck injury during the Test series against South Africa, which ruled him out of competitive cricket for a lengthy period.

His return is expected to significantly bolster Punjab’s batting line-up, which has been inconsistent so far this season.

Despite his growing responsibilities at the international level, the Indian captain has often stressed the importance of domestic cricket in maintaining form and match fitness.

Published on Jan 19, 2026