India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has praised captain Shubman Gill's dedication to competing across all three cricket formats. With the upcoming series against South Africa featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is, ten Doeschate highlighted the physical demands of multi-format participation. The former Netherlands player, who represented his country in 33 ODIs and 24 T20Is, emphasized that fewer cricketers now play all formats due to the intense workload. He noted that Gill and the entire squad have been working diligently on fitness for the South African challenge. Ten Doeschate predicted the Proteas would field three spinners and two seamers during the Tests, presenting a tough test for India's batting lineup. The first Test begins on November 14 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, followed by a match in Guwahati. The ODI leg starts November 30, with five T20Is concluding between December 9 and 19.
Multi-format Challenge and Team Preparation
Ten Doeschate acknowledged the demanding nature of participating in all cricket formats, explaining why fewer players now attempt it. He commended Shubman Gill for accepting this challenge and praised the team's commitment to physical conditioning. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, he stated that the squad has been putting in significant effort to prepare for the South African series. India recently returned from a tour of Australia, where they lost the ODI series but secured the T20I series by winning two matches to Australia's one, with two games washed out. The upcoming all-format series will test India's depth and endurance across two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is spread between mid-November and mid-December.
Source: Link