India's newly appointed ODI and Test captain, Shubman Gill, has publicly addressed his notable omission from the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Speaking to reporters ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand, the 26-year-old star batter stated he respects the selectors' decision while maintaining a philosophical outlook on his career path.
Accepting Destiny, Backing the Team
Gill, who has led India in the longer formats, was left out of the T20 World Cup roster despite having played 36 T20 Internationals. In these matches, he accumulated 869 runs at an average of 28.03 and a strike rate of 138.59. However, a recent dip in form, managing only 291 runs in his last 15 T20Is at an average of 24.25, likely influenced the selectors' call.
"My belief is that in my life, I am where I am supposed to be and whatever things are written in my destiny, no one can take those things from me," Gill remarked. He acknowledged a player's natural desire to compete on the world stage, saying, "Obviously as a player, you have a belief that if you play in the World Cup, you will win it for your team, for your country." He concluded this point by extending his full support: "Having said that, I respect the selectors’ decision and am wishing the T20 team all the very best. I really hope that they win the World Cup for us."
Staying Present and Leading from the Front
When questioned about the potential mental impact of the omission, Gill emphasized the importance of mindfulness for an athlete. "Being a sportsperson, it's all about being in the present," he explained. "The more present you are, even on the field, the less you think about the future or the past, which gives you more chances of succeeding." He added that this approach leads to a simpler, more peaceful, and happier state of mind.
The series against New Zealand marks only Gill's second assignment as India's full-time ODI captain. His start was hampered by a neck injury sustained during the opening Test against South Africa in Kolkata, which forced him to miss the second Test and the following ODI series. "It is never easy, especially whenever you get injured, watching your team play," he admitted. "You feel like you're missing out... especially when you've just been named the captain. It's definitely very frustrating."
Addressing Format Challenges and Preparation
Gill also countered the narrative that senior players choose to continue in "easier" formats. "The Indian cricket team hasn’t won a World Cup since 2011, so if it was that easy, we would be winning the World Cup every second edition," he argued. He stressed that winning major ICC tournaments requires immense resilience, persistence, and determination, regardless of the format.
Shifting focus to Test cricket, the captain revealed he has raised a significant concern with the BCCI regarding inadequate preparation time before Test series. "One of the suggestions that I was very keen on is, if you would see in the last two Test series that we played, we didn't have that much time to prepare," Gill said. He highlighted the difficulty of transitioning quickly, especially after long tours or white-ball cricket.
Gill asserted that this issue is critical irrespective of results. "Even if we would have won the series against South Africa, it still wouldn't have made that much of a difference, because we know we need to prepare well to be able to win Test matches all over the world," he stated. He expressed hope that action would be taken to ensure better preparation before future red-ball series.
