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India Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara has confirmed that Shubman Gill will be part of India's playing XI in the first Test match against New Zealand at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. However, he did not reveal where he will bat. There were speculations regarding Gill's place in the XI since KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are both fit and available for selection in this match and have batted at the top of the order in their recent success.
Pujara backed the youngster Gill to come good after recovering from an injury that forced him out of the Test series against England.
Shubman has been playing good cricket since he has made his debut: Pujara
"Can’t reveal that at this stage. But see, he is a talented player and definitely he will be part of the team. So someone like him, you know he doesn’t need to worry too much, he has been playing good cricket for a couple of years since he has made his debut. It was unfortunate that he missed out on England, but he is a talented player, and I don’t think personally I will need to tell him much," Pujara said at a press conference ahead of the Test series.
"Rahul bhai is there, he will give the best guidance. So I think he will just have to play his natural game. I can’t reveal the position he will bat at, but he is well prepared and I am sure he is looking forward to this series," he added.
India lost the ICC World Test Championship final to New Zealand
India had earlier lost the ICC World Test Championship final to New Zealand and were even on the losing side in both the Tests when they toured the country last year. The Men in Blue will now look to return the favour in the next cycle of the World Test Championship which will culminate in 2023.
The Rohit Sharma-led T20I team already completed a clean sweep over the Kiwis in the three-T20I series and a dominant performance in the Test matches to follow will reduce the pangs of a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign.