India’s Test and ODI captain, Shubman Gill, has voiced significant concerns regarding the BCCI’s recent scheduling, pointing to a lack of preparation time as a primary reason for the team’s uncharacteristic dip in Test match performance. Speaking on the eve of India’s first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara, Gill emphasized that the rapid transition between formats and countries is taking a toll on the squad’s ability to compete at the highest level in red-ball cricket.
The statistics back up Gill’s frustration. Last year, India faced a grueling turnaround, playing the Asia Cup final in Dubai on September 28 only to start a home Test against the West Indies on October 2. A similar pattern followed in November, with a T20I in Australia on the 8th and a Test against South Africa at home on the 14th. This “treadmill” schedule resulted in a historic 2-0 whitewash at the hands of South Africa—India’s second home series loss in a year after a dominant 12-year unbeaten streak.
The Mental and Physical Toll of Format Switching
According to Gill, the issue isn’t just about physical fatigue, but the technical adjustment required when moving from white-ball to red-ball cricket. He noted that playing a Test match just four days after landing from a different time zone and a different format is an uphill battle. “Preparation for me is really big,” Gill explained. He argued that even if India had managed to scrape a win against South Africa, it wouldn’t have masked the fact that the preparation was inadequate.
Gill has suggested that the BCCI implement a “looser” calendar to give players a breather. He reminisced about the 2016-2018 era when players often had 10 to 12 days to acclimatize and train before a new series began. This gap, he believes, is essential for building the confidence necessary to win Test matches consistently, both at home and overseas.
The captain’s own season serves as a cautionary tale. As one of the few all-format players, Gill suffered a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa, which many speculate was a result of the relentless schedule. The injury not only hampered India’s performance in that series but also led to him missing subsequent ODIs and eventually losing his spot in the T20 World Cup squad.
Despite the personal setback of missing the World Cup, Gill remains philosophical, stating he respects the selectors’ decisions and believes he is exactly where he needs to be. However, his message to the board remains clear: for India to reclaim its dominance in Test cricket, the “four-day turnaround” must become a thing of the past.
