Gill prefers T20Is between India’s ODIs and Tests

India captain Shubman Gill said he would have preferred the T20 internationals to fall between the five-match ODI series and the Tests on the New Zealand tour, a schedule he said could have allowed India to field its strongest squad throughout the ODIs. The ODI series is scheduled to begin November 4 in Auckland. Gill said the short gap between the ODIs and the two-Test series means players expected to feature in the Tests will miss the final two ODIs. He said both formats were important and that, if the schedule had allowed, he would have wanted the players being considered for the 2027 World Cup available for all five matches. His comments describe his preference and the team’s scheduling challenge; they do not establish that a different order of matches was considered or possible. India’s batting order will also be adjusted according to match conditions, Gill said. He described the top four as settled and all right-handed, while positions five through seven would remain flexible based on the game situation and overs remaining. Axar Patel could be promoted to add a left-handed batter, while KL Rahul could move up if the team judged him the right option. Gill also said he had...