Gill on the pressure of the final, his role as vice-captain, and the team culture

By K.R. Nayar 

Dubai.  Shubman Gill, the vice-captain of the Indian team, exudes the same confidence he displays as a batter while answering questions about India’s chances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand on Sunday. 

 

Shubman Gill on India's chance in the final. Photo by K.R. Nayar  

When asked by this correspondent about playing a rematch against New Zealand, this time for the title, and the key areas to be cautious about in the final, Gill responded: “The last time we played them, despite losing three wickets early in the powerplay, we put up a good performance and won comfortably. So, there isn’t any added discussion. Obviously, we can talk about someone from the top three firing—that would give us a better chance to chase a big total or post one. Apart from that, there isn’t much extra discussion. The nature of the wicket will be an important topic. The pitches we are playing on here are a bit different from those in Pakistan. We have played four matches here and have done decently well, so there’s no additional discussion needed.”

 

Shubman Gill arrives for the pre-final press conference. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Gill was also candid about the pressure of a final: “It’s my second ICC event for Team India, so I’m definitely excited. We’ll try to achieve what we couldn’t last time. There’s always pressure in big matches. But if you look at the last game, Australia didn’t have a lot of experienced bowlers. The match was big. In such games, the team that handles pressure well and doesn’t overthink the fact that they’re playing a final ends up winning. Look at the past teams like West Indies and Australia—they excelled in knockout games by keeping the occasion separate from the game itself.”

 

When asked about the possibility of Rohit Sharma retiring after the final, Gill handled the question intelligently: “So far, our only discussions have been about winning the match and the Champions Trophy. He hasn’t spoken to me or the team about this decision. I don’t think Rohit is considering it.”

 

Shubman Gill on his role as vice captain. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

With rising temperatures affecting playing conditions, Gill was also asked about the impact of the weather. He responded: “I don’t think the wicket is going to behave any differently. We haven’t really seen a 300-run total here yet, and I think, irrespective of the weather, the pitch will remain similar to what we’ve been playing on. As a team, we have developed a good understanding of how to play and bowl on these kinds of wickets.”

 

Gill believes India’s batting lineup has the skill to perform on any surface. In fact, he considers this lineup the best he has been part of: “I think this is the best batting lineup I’ve personally been a part of. Rohit and Virat are all-time greats in ODI cricket. Rohit is one of the best white-ball openers, and Virat is one of the greatest ODI batsmen ever. We also have Shreyas in great form, along with KL, Hardik, and Jaddu. The depth in our batting allows the top-order batters to play more freely. In the past, we struggled with a lack of depth, which put extra pressure on the top order to bat long. But now, with this depth, we can approach our innings with more freedom.”

 

When asked about addressing an important pre-match press conference as vice-captain and what he has learned from Rohit and other senior players, Gill said: “As a player, you already have responsibilities as a batsman and fielder, but when an added leadership role is given to you, it becomes important to understand how other players are feeling on the field and whether they’re thinking in the right direction.”

 

Speaking about his role as vice-captain, he elaborated: “My role is to support young fast bowlers and spinners under pressure, ensuring they are thinking correctly. Success and failure both depend on mindset, but the chances of success increase if you think right. So, my responsibility is to talk to the bowlers when they are under pressure, understand their plans, and remind them of simple things that can be forgotten in tense situations.”

 

Gill also shared insights on how the team handles pressure: “When a team is under pressure, we don’t single out any one player. Instead, we discuss collectively how we can improve. If someone is feeling the pressure, we figure out how to help reduce it. These aspects may not be visible in a match—you see the runs, the wickets—but they are just as important as scoring a century or taking five wickets. The team’s environment and culture play a big role in our success.”