Indian Cricket team’s vice-captain Shubman Gill expressed optimism about his team’s chances in the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, scheduled for tomorrow at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Saturday, Gill emphasized that India’s T20 World Cup victory in 2024 has removed some pressure from the squad as they approach another major final.
“Winning the title in 2024 doesn’t mean that we are less hungry, but I think it kind of makes us more balanced,” Gill told reporters. “Yes, we have won an ICC title, and we’ll try to do our best to win this one.”
The 25-year-old batter, who is in his second ICC tournament final with India after the 2023 ODI World Cup loss to Australia, highlighted the importance of managing pressure in crucial matches.
“The pressure of big matches is definitely there,” Gill acknowledged. “In such matches, the team that handles the pressure well, that takes out the occasion and doesn’t think that we’re playing the final, their chances of winning are better.”
Gill praised the current Indian batting lineup as the best he has been part of, featuring cricket legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the top of the order.
“Rohit and Virat are all-time one-day greats in the world,” he said. “Rohit is one of the best openers in white ball cricket. And Virat is one of the best ODI batsmen ever.”
The vice-captain also emphasized the crucial role experienced players like Kohli played in India’s victory in the semifinal. “We saw Virat in the last match because he has played so many important matches for India, played so many finals, so many semi-finals,” Gill noted. “The more you are in that situation and the more you have handled the pressure, you know that you have already done this.”
Gill dismissed concerns about captain Rohit Sharma’s recent streak of losing tosses, stating that the team is always prepared regardless of whether they bat or bowl first. He also rejected speculation about Sharma’s retirement after the tournament, saying, “He has not spoken to me or to the team about this decision. I don’t think Rohit is thinking about it.”
When asked about pitch conditions for the final, Gill expressed confidence in the team’s adaptability. “We haven’t really seen a 300 score here as yet,” he said. “I think we as a team have got a good idea of how to play on those kind of wickets and how to bowl on those kinds of wickets.”
India will face New Zealand in the final on Sunday, having already defeated them earlier in the tournament. A victory would give India their second consecutive ICC trophy following last year’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies.
