Playing here at Eden Park is always very exciting - Shubman Gill ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand

India take on New Zealand in the first ODI in Auckland on November 4th. Conditions in Auckland have always been unpredictable, and the ground’s dimensions add to the challenge.

Speaking ahead of the first ODI, India captain Shubman Gill opened up on his experience in Auckland and the challenges the Men in Blue could face.

Highlighting the difference between T20Is and ODIs, Gill said, “There is a lot of difference in the conditions. There are two new balls in the ODIs. This is also my first time in New Zealand. Also, we are playing fairly late as the game begins from 3 PM local time. So when the second innings begin, the conditions will be fairly uncertain. When you are playing two new balls, especially under the lights, there might be more swing or bounce. It will be exciting to see how the wickets play. The weather will also play a role and we will be playing accordingly.”

Speaking about Eden Park, Gill added, “The reception has been great. Playing here at Eden Park is always very exciting. I have played one match here, so not a lot of experience but a bit of it. The dimensions are a bit weird. It will be a bit weird for us to find the right placement for the fielders. We haven’t played here a lot to be able to know which pockets exactly are the ones where the balls go to a lot. That will be a good challenge for us. Hopefully we are able to find those pockets sooner than later.”