Vadodara, Jan 7 (IANS) Indian ODI captain Shubman Gill landed at Vadodara Airport on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on January 11. The arrival created a buzz in the city as along with the Indian skipper, the New Zealand team also reached the town on the same day.

Gill received a warm welcome from fans who were present to catch a glimpse of their captain at the airport. The 26-year-old Indian batter also greeted the supporters with a smile.

The Blackcaps, too, were greeted with loud chants as they stepped out of the terminal. Some New Zealand players looked shocked by the size of the crowd and even recorded videos of the moment.

In the afternoon, Virat Kohli drew massive attention upon arriving at Vadodara Airport. A large crowd gathered to welcome the chase master, with chants of "Kohli, Kohli" echoing across the airport. Despite strict security, the situation turned chaotic when Kohli exited the terminal, as fans rushed to catch a glimpse of him. The stalwart eventually needed security assistance to reach his car safely.

India and New Zealand will play the first match of the three-match series at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi. A full house is expected as fans line up to watch their favourite stars in action.

This series will be Gill's first international outing after being sidelined from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Gill has a good record against the Blackcaps, having scored 623 runs in 12 matches. He has also hit two centuries and two half-centuries.

Gill has not played an ODI match since the Australia tour last year, where he struggled with form. The Indian opener failed to cross the 30-run mark in three outings. As he returns to the 50-over format, Gill will now hope to regain form against a New Zealand team that will be without their talisman Kane Williamson.

--IANS

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