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Indian skipper Shubman Gill admitted that he is lucky to have the experience of ODI-exclusive stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the team, while also highlighting his approach to captaincy that involves listening to everyone.
Shubman,who had cracked a record-breaking 223* while successfully hunting down 406 runs in the second ODI against West Indies, was speaking to JioStar on Follow the Blues The Shubman Show ahead of the third ODI. The Indian skipper's words come after the launch of the 2027 Cricket World Cup schedule on Thursday. India will begin their ICC Mens ODI World Cup 2027 campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7, with the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan scheduled for October 10 in Johannesburg. India have been placed in Group A alongside Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A for the 14-team tournament, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. During the home series against West Indies, which India won 2-0 with a match still left, Rohit and Virat have been among runs, with Virat scoring a 88-ball 139* during the chase of 299 at Thiruvananthapuram, followed by Rohit's 75-ball 101 at Guwahati in a 255-run stand with Gill while chasing 406. Speaking about the duo, Gill said, "I feel extremely lucky. Virat bhai is probably the best ODI batter, and Rohit bhai is the best ODI opener in the world. And then to be able to have these two players in the team and their experience, and the moments that they have shared together, it is great, and we really enjoy having them in the team. And their experience is very valuable for us. Rohit has scored 512 runs in 11 ODIs and innings this year at an average of 46.54, including two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 138. Virat has scored 552 runs at an average of 78.85 in eight ODIs and eight innings this year, with two centuries and three fifties and a best score of 139*. Gill also said that Virat and Rohit are not the only ones he goes to for advice, as he often approaches KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer and listens to everyone. "Often, not just those two (Rohit and Virat for advice); I go to even KL or Shreyas, for that matter. I like to take everyone's opinion, but then, at the end of the day, if I feel, 'Okay, this is something I missed in my mind, that I didn't consider,' then I take their opinion. But most of the time, it happens that if they come to suggest something, then I might have thought about it. If I have not thought about it, then I will think about what their thoughts are, what their opinions are. So, you listen to everyone, see what they are thinking, and then what, according to me, would work best in that situation; I think learning comes from that," he signed off. This year in 11 ODIs and 10 innings, Gill has scored 894 runs at an average of 127.71 and a strike rate of 119.51, including three fours and five sixes. In 69 ODIs and 68 innings, Gill has scored 3,712 runs at an average of 65.12 and a strike rate of over 103, with 11 centuries and 20 fifties. (ANI)
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