Cricket / Shubman Gill Falls For One Run Against Chhattisgarh on Ranji Trohpy Return

New Chandigarh, Oct 18: India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill's return to domestic cricket ended on a disappointing note as the Punjab batter was dismissed for just one run in the team's Ranji Trophy Elite Group B clash against Chhattisgarh at the New PCA Stadium on Sunday.

Making his first appearance of the season for Punjab, Gill walked in at No. 4 after Vihaan Malhotra was trapped lbw by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. The right-hander survived only five deliveries before left-arm spinner Ajay Mandal struck a crucial blow. Mandal beat Gill with a delivery that held its line and sneaked through the gate, crashing into the middle stump in the 27th over.

Gill, 27, had missed Punjab's opening fixture against Assam but made himself available for the match against Chhattisgarh to gain valuable red-ball preparation ahead of India's upcoming tour of New Zealand.

Though absent from the T20I squad, Gill remains a key member of India's touring party for five ODIs and two Tests in New Zealand. The assignment is considered important in India's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup and in keeping their hopes alive of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Gill is expected to feature in only the first three ODIs before sitting out the final two matches to focus on preparations for the Test series in Christchurch and Wellington.
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Elsewhere, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami missed Bengal's ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Services at the Air Force Complex ground in Palam. While Shami trained with the Bengal squad on Saturday, there was no official explanation for his absence from the second-round fixture.

His younger brother, Mohammed Kaif, was included in the playing XI in his place. Shami had begun the season strongly, claiming five wickets, including a four-wicket haul, in Bengal's opening match against Delhi in Kalyani.

Bengal were also without pace bowlers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, who have joined the India A squad for the red-ball series in New Zealand. Despite being a regular for Bengal over the last two domestic seasons and a member of the East Zone team that lifted the Duleep Trophy in 2026-27, Shami has not represented India since the 2025 Champions Trophy and was again overlooked for the New Zealand tour.