Shubman Gill has been guilty of taking too much load on himself since his T20 comeback and the Indian team wants him to bat as freely as he does in the IPL, said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
Former spinner Amit Mishra backed the inclusion of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying that there is no one better in the team who can handle pressure better than the legendary duo.
Shubman Gill might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran or Sarfaraz Khan.
India cricketers, along with coach Gautam Gambhir, visited Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri on Tuesday to seek blessings ahead of the first T2OI of the five-match series against South Africa, set to be played on the same day at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium.
All-rounder Axar Patel was named vice-captain of the squad, which also saw the return of in-form Ishan Kishan, who pipped Jitesh Sharma as the second wicketkeeper behind Sanju Samson.
IMAGES from the 3rd T20I between India and South Africa in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Ganguly lauded Gill's leadership during India's tour of England, noting the challenge of captaining at a young age in such conditions
If starting with Jitesh Sharma in the last three T20s in Australia felt like an experiment, his selection over fellow wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in the series opener against South Africa provided ample clarity over team management's thought process going in to the World Cup at home.
The Indian cricket fraternity shared their views on India's T20I World Cup squad, which threw up several surprises with the return of Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan, while Jitesh Sharma missed out and Shubman Gill was dropped.
To be or not to be could well be the dilemma in Shubman Gill's mind as he crisscrosses formats, having tweaked his technique from an unorthodox style to a more classical one that is not quite yielding the returns he may have envisaged in T20 Internationals.
For the first time since 2012, India walked off Eden Gardens on the wrong side of a Test result. A tricky pitch, a chaotic chase, and the absence of captain Shubman Gill combined to hand South Africa a 30-run win that reshapes the WTC race.
The T20 WC champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
Former England opener Mark Butcher feels the Indian Test captain has taken ownership of Virat Kohli's No 4 spot quite comfortably despite the 'enormous scrutiny'.
Samson tried to whip Donovan Ferreira down the ground but the ball hit umpire Rohan Pandit on the shin and he required medical assistance before he was able to continue.
Asked about losing yet another toss, Gill quipped, 'I think the only toss that I'm going to win is hopefully in the WTC finals.'
Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, Mukund, who represented India in seven Tests from 2011-17, said: "I think Shubman has it in him to become an all-format captain, but I do not think India should have an all-format captain anymore."
India clinched the five-match T20I series against Australia 2-1 after the fifth and final game was abandoned due to rain, in Brisbane, on Saturday.
Shubman Gill's return to his former IPL home was the stage for a batting masterclass. His near-flawless 90 off 55 balls, brimming with elegance, control, and quiet authority.
K L Rahul takes over the captaincy after regular skipper Shubman Gill missed the series because of a neck injury.
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill touched down in Ahmedabad, signalling the official start of their IPL 2025 campaign on Monday.
The charismatic presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma alongside a host of top India cricketers lends unprecedented gravitas to the Vijay Hazare One-Day Trophy beginning on Wednesday, giving all of them a chance to prove a point amid a renewed focus on domestic grind.
The team's balance puzzle once again took centre stage on Tuesday night, even as individual performances from the ongoing series highlighted why leaving either out is a tough ask.
Ishan Kishan's return to the Indian T20 setup is a story of timing, perseverance and a domestic season that selectors simply could not overlook.
2025 will go down as one of the most unsettling chapters in Indian cricket -- not merely because of who retired, but because of how and when it happened.
'We have to show consistency and move forward with the current combination.'
Shubman Gill's fate wasn't actually sealed on Saturday when BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia announced the squad for the T20 World Cup but when the fourth T20 International was called off on Wednesday due to thick smog.
Gibbs said leadership develops with time, and Gill possesses the composure to grow into the role.
Virat Kohli moved up to No. 4 in the latest ICC rankings with a match-winning hundred against South Africa in the first ODI at Ranchi boosting his ascend.
Gill stretchered out with neck injury; ''just bad timing'', says Morne Morkel
Hardik Pandya marked his return to the Indian team from a two-month injury layoff with a match-winning half-century.
The pitch, left unwatered for nearly a week, appeared dry and brown with faint traces of grass, conditions that could bring reverse swing and variable bounce into play later in the match.
'Jitesh Sharma has shown he is quite a capable player. He can bat lower down the order and look to hit the big shots even with a slightly older ball.'
In the chase, India lost Shubman Gill for a golden duck, while Marco Jansen got rid of Abhishek Sharma and India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, before Baartman broke the 35-run stand between Axar Patel and Varma.
India can draw inspiration from their stunning comeback in the 2016 Chennai Test against England when they triumphed despite conceding 400-plus in the first innings.
India great Virat Kohli continued his push to regain his place as the best ODI batter while moving up to the second spot in the latest ICC rankings released on Wednesday.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Virat Kohli arrived in Ranchi ahead of the first One-Day International against South Africa on Wednesday morning.
'Captaincy for India is slightly different to captaining a franchise or any state side; it comes with its own responsibilities and the pressure.'
Rishabh Pant's 'chaotic' leadership style and batting might be the wildcard India need to level the Test series against South Africa, former cricketer Jonty Rhodes said on Friday.
Intent does not always translate immediately into numbers, and effort however sincere needs to find expression in runs, especially with a World Cup drawing closer.
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