Test series decisive for Gambhir; Gill, KL Rahul must focus on red ball: Nayar
Synopsis
Former India batting coach Abhishek Nayar has called the upcoming New Zealand Test series 'decisive' for Gautam Gambhir — and argued that the squad split model is shortchanging red-ball readiness for Gill and KL Rahul at exactly the wrong moment. With New Zealand's home-soil series win still stinging, Nayar's comments cut to the heart of India's format-juggling dilemma.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Nayar described the upcoming India vs New Zealand Test series as 'decisive' for head coach Gautam Gambhir .
Nayar argued that KL Rahul and Shubman Gill should have had one to two months of dedicated red-ball preparation instead of ODI commitments.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was left out of the ODI squad; Nayar suggested he was encouraged to play Ranji Trophy to boost Test readiness.
Shubman Gill captains India for the first three ODIs ; Shreyas Iyer takes over for the final two matches .
Gill and Rahul are set to leave the ODI setup after the third match to begin preparations for the Test series.
Former India batting coach Abhishek Nayar has said the upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand carries decisive significance for head coach Gautam Gambhir and Indian cricket fans, and argued that dual-format players like Shubman Gill and KL Rahul should have been given dedicated red-ball preparation time ahead of the assignment.
The Core Concern: Format Split and Player Readiness
Nayar, speaking to JioStar, expressed concern over the decision to split India's squads for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, arguing it fragments the preparation window for players who must then pivot to Test cricket. He felt that multi-format players would have been better served by an extended period of red-ball practice following India's earlier Test series defeat to the Blackcaps on home soil.
'New Zealand came to India, they beat us in the Test series, and that hurt me a little, as it did the rest of our fans too. So, it's a big series. There should be a balance in life. World Cup is important, but there is some time for that. This Test series, for me, is a decisive one for Gautam Gambhir and Indian fans,' Nayar said.
What Nayar Would Have Done Differently
Nayar was direct about his preference: players like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, who feature in both the ODI and Test squads, should ideally have been shielded from the limited-overs commitments to allow one to two months of focused red-ball work. 'I would rather have given them one or two months to go and practise with the red ball. Just like they beat us here in India, we should beat them there,' he added.
This comes amid a broader debate about India's workload management policies, particularly as the team juggles World Cup qualification cycles with the demands of the World Test Championship. New Zealand's home series win over India remains one of the more jarring results in recent memory, making the return leg a high-stakes redemption assignment.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's ODI Omission and Nayar's Take
Nayar also addressed the absence of left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal from India's ODI squad. Rather than viewing it as a slight, he suggested the management may have communicated to Jaiswal that his time would be better spent strengthening his red-ball credentials through domestic cricket.
'I know that the communication must have taken place with Yashasvi that, 'Look, we are not picking you because Rohit Sharma is anyway going to open with Shubman Gill. So, rather than sitting out, you prepare for New Zealand and play the Ranji Trophy, because that gives you a better chance of coming good in the Test series and helping Team India win,'' Nayar said.
India's Split Squad Arrangement for the ODI Series
Shubman Gill will captain India for the first three ODIs, with Shreyas Iyer serving as vice-captain. Gill and Rahul are expected to exit the ODI setup after the third match to begin Test preparations. Shreyas Iyer then takes over the captaincy for the final two matches, leading a revamped group that includes Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, and Yash Thakur.
The squad for the first three ODIs includes Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Nitish Kumar Reddy (first ODI only), and Auqib Nabi. The fourth and fifth ODI squad replaces several of these names with Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra, and Yash Thakur, with Ishan Kishan doubling as vice-captain.
With the Test series looming as a genuine litmus test for Gambhir's coaching tenure, how India's dual-format players transition from white-ball to red-ball mode in a compressed window will be closely watched.
Point of View
And New Zealand's historic home series win over India makes the cost of under-preparation concrete. Gambhir, still early in his tenure, needs a Test series win to establish his credentials; a second successive defeat to New Zealand would intensify scrutiny. The squad-split model may serve selection depth, but Nayar's critique points to a real gap in how India plans the red-ball transition window.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Abhishek Nayar call the New Zealand Test series decisive for Gautam Gambhir?
Nayar believes the series is a high-stakes redemption assignment following New Zealand's earlier Test series win on Indian soil, which he described as painful. He argues that a second successive defeat would significantly raise the pressure on head coach Gambhir.
What did Nayar say about KL Rahul and Shubman Gill's preparation?
Nayar said he would have preferred giving Rahul and Gill one to two months of focused red-ball preparation rather than asking them to first play ODIs and then switch formats. He argued the squad-split model fragments their preparation window ahead of the Tests.
Why was Yashasvi Jaiswal left out of India's ODI squad?
Jaiswal was not selected for the ODI squad, with Nayar suggesting the team management likely communicated that, since Rohit Sharma would open with Gill, Jaiswal was better off playing Ranji Trophy to sharpen his red-ball game for the Test series.
How is India's ODI squad structured for the New Zealand series?
India has split its ODI squad into two groups. Shubman Gill captains the side for the first three matches, while Shreyas Iyer takes charge for the final two. Gill and KL Rahul are expected to leave the ODI setup after the third game to prepare for the Tests.
What is India's recent Test record against New Zealand?
New Zealand defeated India in a Test series on Indian soil — a result Nayar described as painful and one that gives the upcoming two-Test series in New Zealand added significance for India's team and coaching staff.
