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With India's ODI setup undergoing a period of transition, skipper Shubman Gill expressed confidence in the team's ability to defeat any opposition, stating that any Indian side taking the field has the quality to compete and emerge victorious.
Gill believes the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand starting from November 4 presents an important opportunity for the team to test its depth and build confidence ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. He also stressed that a strong showing in New Zealand would be a significant confidence booster, particularly for the younger players looking to establish themselves in the national setup. Gill was speaking to the reporters on the eve of India's 1st ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on Tuesday. "I believe any Indian team that takes the field is capable of defeating any opposition. The young players will gain a lot of confidence if they perform well here. It will also give us confidence that even if we don't have the squad we ideally want for the World Cup for any reason, we have a team capable of beating other sides in different conditions. In that sense, winning the series here would be a big confidence booster for us," Gill said. India head into the series with a blend of youth and experience. While the batting department boasts considerable experience with stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli leading the way, the bowling attack features a relatively young group of players. Ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was not included in India's white-ball squad, while experienced all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been sidelined for some time due to injury. Another experienced all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, who featured in India's previous ODI series against the West Indies last month, was also left out of the squad for the New Zealand series. India's bowling attack for the series comprises Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Kuldeep Yadav. Gill highlighted the importance of the New Zealand tour in India's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, noting that the playing conditions are expected to be similar to those in South Africa. The 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is scheduled to take place from October 4 to November 21, 2027, with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia set to jointly host the 50-over tournament. He believes the experience will help Indian batters and bowlers adapt to familiar conditions ahead of the tournament, while also providing valuable exposure to the weather and pitches they could encounter during the World Cup. "The World Cup will certainly be at the back of our minds. These conditions are going to be much more similar to those in South Africa than in some of the other countries where we will be playing. Keeping that in mind, the experience will be valuable for both our batters and bowlers. The weather conditions around this time of the year are also likely to be closer to what we might experience in South Africa, rather than the hotter conditions in December or January. So, I think this tour will provide us with valuable experience that will certainly help us going forward," he added. Gill also acknowledged that playing at different venues would provide valuable experience for the team, particularly the young bowling attack. He noted that the pitches offer good bounce and present challenges for both batters and bowlers, expressing confidence in India's ability to adapt to the conditions and deliver strong performances. "I think the more we play at different venues, the more experience we gain. From what I have seen, the pitches have offered good bounce, providing challenges for both batters and bowlers. It will be a good test for both teams. We have a young bowling attack, but we possess all the qualities needed to succeed in these conditions. Hopefully, we can learn from the experience and put up good performances," he concluded. (ANI)
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