NAGPUR: Reigning T20 World Cup champions India have been in top form across all formats, vice-captain Shubman Gill said on Tuesday, dismissing his side’s Test defeat in Australia as a one-off.

Rohit Sharma’s men clinched the T20 crown in South Africa last year, seven months after they ended the most recent ODI World Cup at home as runners-up.

But a 3-0 Test whitewash at home to New Zealand in October-November, followed by the 3-1 defeat in Australia last month, saw star cricketers including Sharma and Virat Kohli come under scrutiny for their poor batting form.

“One series does not define the form of the whole team,” Gill told reporters ahead of the first of three One-day Internationals against England starting in Nagpur on Thursday. “Definitely we did not play as per our expectations in the Australian series, but still we played some good cricket,” the top-order batsman said.

“One match and one day doesn’t define us… we should keep all those things in mind.”

The three ODI matches, which follow India’s 4-1 T20 series victory over England, come ahead of the 50-over Champions Trophy starting on February 19.

Sharma and Kohli, who both retired from T20 cricket after the World Cup win, return to the ODI set-up and Gill said the team is upbeat.

However, he also warned the three matches against a “good” England team were not a practice run for the Champions Trophy. Gill, 25, is seen as a potential future leader for India whenever Sharma, 37, retires from ODI and Test cricket.

He said being deputy to Sharma had been one of the main challenges of his international career since 2019.

“I take it as a challenge to lead my way, firstly with my performance and then definitely in the field if Rohit bhai would want my opinions,” Gill said. “What are the plans for certain batsmen, certain bowlers, how to take on certain oppositions — just learning that is a big curve for me.” Wrist-spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been added to the ODI squad after he was named player of the series in the T20s with 14 wickets in five matches against England.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2025