Shubman Gill says India's No. 7 and 8 will be sorted when Hardik Pandya returns
India captain Shubman Gill expects Hardik Pandya to play domestic cricket before returning to the ODI side against New Zealand.
Shubman Gill said India's number seven and eight positions will be sorted when Hardik Pandya returns. Gill made the comments ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand in Auckland.
Key takeaways
- Hardik Pandya has been sidelined since the IPL due to multiple injury issues
- Shubman Gill expects Pandya to play domestic cricket before returning to India
- Gill said Pandya's return will sort India's number seven and eight batting positions
- Gill said Pandya is a seam-bowling all-rounder effective in every phase of the game
- India is playing a five-match ODI series against New Zealand
India captain Shubman Gill said his side’s number seven and number eight batting positions will be sorted once Hardik Pandya returns to international cricket. Gill made the remarks to reporters on the eve of the first ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on November 3, 2026.
India is playing a five-match ODI series against New Zealand. Gill said Pandya’s skills are unmatched as he is a seam-bowling all-rounder who can operate and be effective during any phase of the game.
Pandya, who normally bats at number six or seven, has been sidelined since the Indian Premier League because of multiple injury issues, the latest being stress on his shin just before an anticipated return to competitive cricket for India A.
Gill said he is in touch with Pandya and expects him to play a few domestic games before donning the India blues again. Gill said Pandya was supposed to play the India A matches but had some niggles again just before that.
Gill said hopefully Pandya will be fit soon, play some domestic cricket, and then India will see him back in the side.
Gill said if India win an ODI series against a strong opposition like New Zealand, it would instil confidence in players going into next year’s World Cup that even the absence of key resources like Pandya or Jasprit Bumrah cannot hamper the side.
Gill said any Indian team that steps on the ground is capable of beating any other team. Gill said young players will gain a lot of confidence if they perform well here.
Gill said India will also get confidence from the fact that if, for any reason, they do not get the team they want for the World Cup, their team is still capable of beating any other side in any conditions.
Gill insisted middle-order slots like numbers five and six will always remain flexible and batters would be floated as per the requirement of the team. Hardik Pandya is an Indian international cricketer who plays as a right-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler.
Pandya is the first fast-bowling all-rounder in T20Is to complete 1,000 runs and 100 wickets. He captains Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and occasionally plays for Baroda in domestic cricket.
He captained the Indian team in white-ball cricket and was the vice-captain of the team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup. Shubman Gill captains India in Tests and ODIs, the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League and Punjab when he plays first-class cricket.
The Indian Premier League is India’s franchise Twenty20 cricket competition.
Key facts from Gill's comments
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Pandya's usual batting positions | No. 6 or 7 |
Positions Gill said will be sorted | No. 7 and 8 |
ODI series length | Five matches |
First ODI venue | Auckland |
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