Shubman Gill believes ODIs against England are a 'winning battle not a build-up to Champions Trophy

As India gears up for a three-match ODI series against England, ahead of the commencement of the ICC Champions Trophy in just a few weeks, many would look at this as the preparatory phase to the high-profile tournament. Vice-captain Shubman Gill, however, rubbished those thoughts, insisting that India is not looking at this as a warm-up series but as a necessary series in which the team wants to stamp its authority.

India's Recent ODI Record and the Challenge Ahead

India has been very irregular since their second-best finish in the 2023 World Cup for the ODI format. They played only six matches: they won a 2-1 series against South Africa and then lost the series 0-2 in Sri Lanka. The team now faces England, who are aggressive and strong in their game. It will be nearly six months since India last played an ODI for the team.

Despite the long gap, Gill is optimistic about India's preparedness. Speaking ahead of the first match, he dismissed the idea of using these games as mere practice, emphasizing that every series holds significance. "Every time we play a series, it is important for us. We want to dominate and win, just like we do in any other series," he asserted.

A Glimpse into India's Leadership Future

As Rohit Sharma edges towards the twilight of his international career, the discussion about India's future skipper has gained more intensity. The appointment of Gill as the vice-captain for this full-strength squad gives an insight into the thought process of the selectors. Though Gill has been inconsistent in Tests and T20Is, he has been performing exceptionally well in ODIs.

With 2,328 runs from 47 innings at an average of 58.2 and a strike rate of 101.2, Gill has proved himself to be one of the prominent players in the 50-over format. Elevation to leadership brings another dimension of responsibility that he carries out with a composed mind. He admitted the challenge and said, "As vice-captain, my priority is to lead with performances. If Rohit Bhai seeks my inputs, I will share my thoughts on the game. Learning from the likes of Rohit Bhai and Gautam Gambhir is a big goal for me."

Pitch Conditions and Champions Trophy Preparation

With only three more matches left before the Champions Trophy, there have been speculations that these pitches in this series will be designed to mirror those in the UAE, where India's games will be held. However, Gill dismissed all such claims saying that the process of preparing pitches was a normal affair rather than a strategic step. "The wicket here dries up quickly, so some grass and moisture were retained to prevent excessive dryness. We haven't given any instructions regarding pitch conditions," he clarified.

Though the team has an experience of playing in the UAE before, thorough preparation is very much a need for success in a tournament as competitive as the Champions Trophy. Though the focus is on England, the team would certainly be mindful of the conditions they might have to encounter in the global event.

Healthy Competition Among Young Indian Batters

This Indian cricket setup has never seen so much rivalry, and the amount of talent available is immense, as seen with talented individuals such as Gill, who has been omitted for T20I. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma are pushing for opportunities, but Gill believes the competition is still healthy.

"Well, Abhishek is a childhood friend, and Jaiswal is a very good friend too. There is no toxic rivalry. Everyone wants to perform for the country, but there's no negative thinking about others failing," he said explaining. Such camaraderie strengthens team culture, not letting personal ambitions get in the way of collective success.

Achieving Domestic Complementarity with National Team Stability

The recent series of Test debacle for India raises questions over its ODI composition, especially while choosing the members from the performers in domestic seasons like Vijay Hazare. Players like Karun Nair have scored spectacularly but weren't able to find a foothold in India's national list. Gill explains this with sane reasoning.

"The players in the national side have been performing well. In the World Cup, our middle-order batters scored 400-500 runs each. After that, we played just three ODIs. It's not fair to drop existing players based on some one's success in domestic cricket. Consistency in selection is what builds a solid team.".

While appreciative of the talents that are bubbling up at the domestic levels, Gill urged a balance needed to be maintained between rewarding good performances and stabilizing the national team.

Conclusion

Now while the series itself does provide just a little of context and backdrop to India's Champions Trophy aspiration, delivering with a dominant victory will be the good enough aim as India confront England. It is, however, an extremely important battle fought within this very series. Emerging as one of the stars from ODI cricket, Shubman Gill and the young lad would be just itching to stake his claim-with the bat-but also leadership skill on display, of course.