Auckland: Volume has always been the keyword when it comes to Shubman Gill's preparations for a fixture, and it was no different on Monday at Eden Park. The India captain, who had skipped Sunday's session, put in a marathon net session lasting close to three hours as his team fine-tuned its preparations for the five-match one-day international series against New Zealand, which gets under way on Wednesday, November 4.
Gill's session began with gentle throwdowns and built steadily in intensity before culminating in an extended fielding session with spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule. For the young captain, there is no compromise on the number of deliveries he faces, the sprints he completes or the big hits he unleashes, whether the format is the Indian Premier League, one-day internationals or Tests.
On Monday morning, he made the most of his time in the middle and ensured he reached his desired workload.
The centre wicket remained the focus of most of the action. KL Rahul, who joined the team on October 31 along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, began his session by donning the big gloves, underlining his value as a wicketkeeping option in the middle order. For Gill, however, the job was only half done after his batting.
Having completed the longest batting session of the day, he wrapped up his workout with catching drills from different positions. After working on close-in and slip catching, he also practised taking high catches near the boundary ropes before calling it a day. Following a quick massage to his neck, which has troubled him of late whenever he ramps up his workload, Gill headed off.
While Gill was putting in the hard yards in the nets, the senior members of the side followed different routines. Virat Kohli, seated in the front seat of the team vehicle, had completed a gym session at the venue and left without taking part in any batting or fielding drills. Kohli was among six players who turned up for the optional session, but he did not hit the nets.
Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad also chose to stay indoors and are expected to fine-tune their preparations alongside the rest of the squad on the eve of the match.
The contrasting routines reflect the different stages of preparation within the squad. By the time Gill and company left for the hotel, the remaining members of the ODI squad would have been close to reaching Auckland from Hamilton, the venue of the fifth Twenty20 international. The entire squad will have just one opportunity to train together on Tuesday before the series begins.
India are scheduled to train in the afternoon on Tuesday, while New Zealand will have a morning session.
The build-up has already produced some notable moments. On Sunday, young pacers Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj tested the senior batters in the nets, with Nabi in particular catching the eye. Reports said Nabi troubled Kohli with sharp incoming deliveries that hit his pads and thigh pads, and that the young bowler's fiery spell left the former captain frustrated at times.
Nabi has been added to India's ODI squad for the first three matches as a replacement for the injured Prasidh Krishna, and his performances in the nets suggest he is making the most of his opportunity.
The series carries significance beyond the immediate results. With less than a year to go for the 2027 World Cup, every ODI series is now an opportunity for teams to try different combinations with the showpiece event in mind. For India, the five-match series against New Zealand will put the focus back on the seam-bowling all-rounder variety, and on how the batting order shapes up around the established core of Gill, Kohli, Rohit and Rahul.
For Kohli and Rohit, the series is particularly important as they aim to secure their places for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Both veterans have been managing their workloads carefully, picking their sessions and focusing on specific aspects of their game. Kohli's gym session on Monday, followed by his departure without batting, is part of that managed approach, while Rohit's decision to stay indoors follows a similar pattern.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have their own concerns. According to a New Zealand Cricket press release, Mark Chapman, who has a hamstring problem, and Rachin Ravindra, who has a shoulder issue, will miss the upcoming ODI series. Their absence is a blow to the hosts, given that both players were already ruled out of the India ODIs in an updated squad announcement.
Ravindra, in particular, has been a key performer for New Zealand across formats, and his absence changes the balance of the home side.
The fan interest around the series has been intense. On Monday, fans waited outside Eden Park to catch a glimpse of Kohli during India's optional practice session, and local supporters spoke warmly about the former India captain.
One Auckland resident, Devinder, who hails from Ludhiana and has lived in the city for 25 years, told reporters that Kohli looked younger, in his twenties, a remark that captured the affection the veteran batter continues to command even far from home.
As the teams move towards Wednesday's opener, the picture is of a side in the final stages of preparation: a captain leading from the front with volume and intensity, senior players managing their bodies with gym work and rest, young bowlers pushing hard for a place, and a support staff led by Bahutule working through the details. The one full training session on Tuesday will be the last chance for the entire squad to come together before the first ball is bowled at Eden Park.
Eden Park, with its distinctive shape and passionate crowds, has long been one of world cricket's most atmospheric venues, and the Auckland ground will host the series opener on Wednesday. For the Indian team, the challenge of New Zealand conditions is familiar: swing and seam movement early, and a need to adapt quickly after a long tour.
The support staff, including fielding coach Shubhadeep Ghosh and support personnel Dayanand Garani and Nuwan Seneviratne, have been working through those details in the training sessions, from centre-wicket practice to high-intensity sprints and catching drills at different positions. With the full squad assembling only on Tuesday, the final session will be about clarity: roles, combinations and the match plan for the first game.
(Reporting based on The Times of India and RevSportz.)