India skipper admits that the injuries have caused a balance issue in the squad and urges the team to get fitter for the upcoming ODI World Cup in 2027.
India captain Shubman Gill has appealed to his team to enhance their fitness level as a team after the injuries had derailed their plans in the 3-1 ODI series loss to England. Gill acknowledged that the absence of key players meant India had to change the playing XI several times during the tour, impacting the balance of the team.
Injury concerns disrupt India’s campaign
India started the series with a series of injury setbacks and lost some of their main players during the tour.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy were ruled out with quadriceps injuries while Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar also had hamstring issues in the series.
The most glaring failure was before the final ODI at Lord’s when pace man Jasprit Bumrah was injured and India’s inexperienced bowlers were under pressure as England posted a huge total.
Gill urges squad to improve fitness
Looking back at the series, Gill said that India can’t afford to keep changing the combinations due to injuries as the 2027 ODI World Cup is coming soon.
He noted that the team must have players who are able to stay in shape for extended tournaments, and that injury is always a concern, which makes it difficult to make plans and change out players when needed.
Gill said it was important to have a consistent XI to play well and said it was important to get the whole squad fitter.
Team selection influenced by conditions
Gill also gave reasons for not including wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the series.
The India skipper said the conditions were more conducive to fast bowlers than spinners, and the team management opted for an additional spinner.
He said that in retrospect the pitch at Lord’s was slower than anticipated and spin played a greater role later in the game.
Positive signs despite series defeat
Gill was disappointed with the outcome, but felt India were still competitive for much of the series.
The team had a lot of positive things to show but they need to make better decisions in key moments, especially when starting a game with the new ball and when they are running out of time in games, he added.
Gill feels that India is going in the right direction, but needs to be more consistent in order to make a run for big ICC trophies.
Gill dismisses Rohit Sharma retirement speculation
Gill also spoke about the ongoing rumours about Rohit Sharma’s ODI future after the veteran batsman scored his brilliant century at Lord’s.
The India skipper said that Rohit has not spoken about his retirement with the team and there’s no sign that the veteran opener wants to quit international cricket.
Gill commended Rohit’s brilliant knock, stating that the veteran bowled his ball with utmost perfection and played a pivotal role in keeping India in the game as they chased the record in the process.
