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Cricket PlayersShubman Gill’s water purifier arrangement a routine team practice, not linked to Indore health scare: Report
A fresh report clarified that the decision was not specific to Indore and was instead part of Shubman Gill’s regular travel routine.
As India arrived in Indore for the final leg of the ongoing home ODI series against New Zealand, reports emerged that captain Shubman Gill had invested around INR 3 lakh in a high-end water purifier for the team, installed at the hotel. The move was initially linked to the city’s ongoing health crisis, with Indore grappling with water contamination that has reportedly claimed at least 15 lives due to a diarrhoea outbreak. However, a subsequent report clarified that the decision was not specific to Indore and was instead part of Gill’s regular travel routine.
The earlier report had suggested that Gill arranged the purifier to ensure safe drinking water during the team’s stay. But Cricbuzz reported on Sunday that it is a personal water purifier Gill has been carrying on tours as part of his fitness regimen. A team source confirmed to the website that the move had no connection to India’s current halt in Indore.
The report further noted that Gill has followed this practice since recovering from dengue, with a strong emphasis on maintaining strict hydration standards as part of his fitness routine.
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The report further stated that India are paying close attention to the players’ diet, with the BCCI arranging a special chef for the squad. Virat Kohli’s diet includes grilled green vegetables, South Indian food and soup, while Gill prefers boiled eggs, green vegetables, lentils, raita and soup. Rohit Sharma’s meals consist of lentils, rice, salad, soup, cheese, vegetables, yoghurt and fruit.
India’s bowling combination will be under scrutiny when they face New Zealand in the series decider in Indore on Sunday, especially after the spinners were outplayed in the first two matches. Chief among the concerns was Kuldeep Yadav, whose deliveries lacked penetration as New Zealand’s batters, led by Daryl Mitchell, handled him with confidence. The Indian spinners’ struggles stood in stark contrast to their New Zealand counterparts, who strangled the scoring rate and forced errors.
With Indore offering shorter boundaries and a batting-friendly surface, discipline is likely to matter more than variation for India’s bowlers.
India boast an imposing record at the Holkar Stadium, having won all five of their previous matches at the venue, against England (2006, 2008), West Indies (2011), South Africa (2015) and Australia (2017).
While the Indian team skipped practice on Friday, the Kiwis trained despite it being an optional session.
