India vs New Zealand: Shubman Gill Begins ODI Preparations in Auckland, Uses Temple Fitness Tracker

: India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has begun preparations for the upcoming five-match ODI series against New Zealand after joining the Indian team in Auckland. Gill was seen practising in the nets on Thursday as he stepped up his preparations for the series, which begins at Eden Park on November 4.
 

During the practice session, Gill was spotted wearing a fitness-tracking device called Temple on his forehead. The Indian captain also spoke with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak before beginning his net session.
 

KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan Also Practise
 

Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul and bowler Gurnoor Brar have also joined the Indian squad. Rahul and Ishan Kishan, who is recovering from a hip injury, took part in batting practice during the session.
 

The upcoming ODI series will also mark the return of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the Indian side.
 

Gill was seen interacting with his close friend and India T20I opener Abhishek Sharma. Abhishek recently produced a spectacular innings of 113 runs off just 38 balls while chasing a target of 199 in the third T20I in Wellington.
 

India have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the T20I series against New Zealand.
 

Gill Looks to Build Momentum Ahead of Test Series
 

Gill has faced several challenging overseas assignments over the past year, including a difficult tour of Australia last year and India's series defeat in England earlier this year.
 

The right-handed batter will lead India in the two-match Test series against New Zealand following the conclusion of the ODIs. The Test series is scheduled to begin on November 19.
 

Earlier this year, Gill scored 754 runs during India's five-match Test series against England, underlining his importance to the team in the longer format.
 

To ensure that he is fully prepared for the upcoming matches, Gill is also personally covering the expenses of four to five net bowlers. His preparations in Auckland come as India get ready for a demanding schedule against the hosts across the ODI and Test formats.