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Shubman Gill has confirmed his availability for Punjab's upcoming Ranji Trophy sixth-round fixture against Karnataka, set to begin on January 23 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. While Punjab's squad is yet to be officially announced, Gill's inclusion would come as a welcome boost for the team, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Gill's return provides him with the chance to work under Wasim Jaffer, Punjab's head coach and the all-time leading run-scorer in Ranji Trophy history. This opportunity comes at a crucial juncture for Gill, whose performances outside Asia have faced scrutiny. Since June 2021, he has averaged just 17.64 in 18 innings abroad, a concern as India prepares for a challenging five-Test series in England later this year. Punjab's squad will be without two key players, Abhishek Sharma and Arshdeep Singh, who have been selected for India's T20I series against England starting January 22 in Kolkata. Gill's return is expected to fill the void left by their absence and strengthen Punjab's chances. The 23-year-old last represented Punjab in the Ranji Trophy in 2022, playing in the quarter-finals against Madhya Pradesh in Alur. His return to the domestic circuit coincides with the Indian team management's renewed push for national players to participate in first-class cricket when not on international duty. This directive comes in the wake of India's 3-1 Test series loss in Australia. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have emphasized the importance of India's top players contributing to their state teams to stay match-ready. Gill himself endured a difficult series in Australia, managing a highest score of 31 in five innings after recovering from a finger injury that had ruled him out of the first Test in Perth. He averaged 18.60 across the series and was left out of the Boxing Day Test, with KL Rahul slotting in at No. 3 and Rohit Sharma returning to his opening role. The team management, however, clarified at the time that Gill had not been dropped but was left out due to team combination, as India opted for two spin-bowling allrounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. For Punjab, this Ranji Trophy season has been a struggle. They are currently fifth in Group A with only one win from five matches, and their hopes of reaching the playoffs are hanging by a thread. Gill's return could be the spark the team needs to turn their campaign around. (ANI)
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