Shubman Gill to pay for personal net bowlers on New Zealand tour
Shubman Gill will take four to five personal net bowlers to New Zealand at his own expense to prepare for the Test series.
India Test captain Shubman Gill will take four to five personal net bowlers on the upcoming tour of New Zealand, paying for their expenses himself to prepare for the red-ball challenge. According to PTI, the dedicated bowlers will train exclusively with Gill, something that's never been done before by a cricketer.
The 26-year-old is expected to leave for New Zealand on October 23 or 24 and will skip the India A Test matches against New Zealand A because of his ODI commitments. Before departing for New Zealand, Gill is set to turn up for Punjab in their Ranji Trophy fixture against Chhattisgarh, which begins on October 18 in Mullanpur.
New Zealand is not a cheap place to travel to from India, but Gill is clearly prepared to go out of his way to prepare for the Test format. The Board of Control for Cricket in India pays for net bowlers, too, but Gill clearly wants to train specific things in his game.
CricHubb Take
Gill's decision to fund his own support staff shows his commitment to red-ball preparation. The move sets a precedent for other players seeking specialised training on overseas tours.