Shubman Gill funds personal net bowlers for New Zealand Tests
Gill pays for dedicated net bowlers on the New Zealand tour to sharpen his red-ball skills ahead of the Tests.
India Test captain Shubman Gill will take four to five personal net bowlers to New Zealand at his own expense to prepare for the two-Test series. The arrangement is the first of its kind by an Indian player, with the dedicated bowlers training exclusively with Gill ahead of a tour that begins after the first three ODIs.
Gill leaves India on 23 or 24 October and will miss the India A Tests against New Zealand A because of his ODI commitments. He will play one Ranji Trophy match for Punjab against Chhattisgarh starting 18 October in Mullanpur before departure.
The BCCI already provides net bowlers on overseas tours, but Gill has pushed for additional red-ball preparation in conditions that differ sharply from the subcontinent. He leads India in the first three ODIs before handing the side to Shreyas Iyer for the final two matches.
CricHubb Take
The move signals that the captain himself now treats red-ball preparation as a personal budget line rather than a board responsibility. That precedent will shape how future touring parties negotiate specialist support.