India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill made a disappointing return to domestic red-ball cricket on Sunday, 18 October 2026, dismissed for just one run off five balls by left-arm spinner Ajay Mandal in Punjab's Ranji Trophy Elite Group B second-round match against Chhattisgarh at the New PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh. The much-anticipated return of the 27-year-old skipper ended within moments of his arrival at the crease.

How Gill Was Dismissed

Gill came in at number four after opener Vihaan Malhotra was trapped lbw by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. He lasted just five deliveries before Mandal's delivery on the third ball of the 27th over held its line and slipped through the gate to clip the middle stump. It was a textbook left-arm spinner's dismissal — the ball that straightens just enough to beat the inside edge.

Why Gill Returned to Ranji Trophy

Gill had skipped Punjab's opening-round fixture against Assam this season but made himself available for the Chhattisgarh clash specifically to accumulate red-ball match practice ahead of India's tour of New Zealand. The tour comprises five ODIs and two Tests — in Christchurch and Wellington — and carries significant weight both as a build-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup and as part of India's campaign for a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Notably, Gill will play only three of the five ODIs, stepping aside from the final two matches to focus his preparation on the Test series.

Shami's Unexplained Absence for Bengal

Elsewhere in the domestic round, veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami was absent from Bengal's second-round clash against Services at the Air Force Complex ground in Palam. Shami had reportedly trained with the Bengal squad on Saturday, making his non-appearance all the more conspicuous — there was no official explanation for his omission. His younger brother Mohammed Kaif was drafted into the playing eleven in his place.

The absence is notable given Shami's strong start to the domestic season: he claimed five wickets, including a four-wicket haul, in Bengal's opening game against Delhi in Kalyani. He has also been a regular presence for Bengal across the last two domestic seasons and was part of the East Zone side that won the Duleep Trophy 2026-27. However, Shami has not represented India since the 2025 Champions Trophy and was again overlooked for the New Zealand tour.

Bengal's Depleted Pace Attack

Bengal's seam resources are stretched further with pacers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar both absent, having departed for New Zealand as members of the India A squad for the red-ball series. The combination of Shami's unexplained withdrawal and two key pacers away on national duty leaves Bengal significantly thin on pace options at a critical juncture of the Ranji Trophy season.

With Gill's red-ball preparations off to a rocky start, all eyes will be on whether he gets another opportunity to build form before the New Zealand Tests begin.