As there is speculation over the ODI futures of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India vice-captain Shubman Gill has staunchly ruled out any retirement talks in the team.
While the majority of cricketing fans think that Rohit and Kohli—two of India's current batting greats—can opt out of ODIs if India wins the championship, Gill stated categorically that the team's only concern is winning the much-coveted trophy.
Talking to the media before India's highly awaited final match against New Zealand on Sunday, Gill dispelled the rumors of retirement, saying, "There is no discussion about retirement in the dressing room currently.". We haven't spoken about this as of now. All the discussion is regarding how to win the match. And what do we need to do in order to win the match. I think Rohit is also thinking similarly. I think he is keeping his focus on winning the Champions Trophy first. I believe after the match ends tomorrow, he will make a call, but I have not heard anything of this sort from anyone in the team," he said.
Talking about India's strong batting line-up, Gill praised the team's experience and depth.
This is the strongest batting lineup I have been a part of. Rohit is among the finest openers in the world, and Virat, well, we don't need to speak much about him. But thanks to the depth of our team, the top order gets to play with more freedom," he said.
Being India's top ODI run-scorer in the last two years, Gill stressed the importance of producing good performances in big games.
"It is important to make a difference in big matches. As a batsman, you would like to do that in every match, but it's not possible to score a 50 or a 100 all the time. In big matches, you want to set yourself three-four balls extra before playing your shots," he said.
The heartbreak of India's loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final still haunts, but Gill feels the side has learned from that experience and is looking forward to going all the way this time.
"We are all waiting for the final. We were not able to win the 50-over World Cup last time, but we are confident we will get it done this time," he said.
Realizing the pressure of playing a high-stakes match, Gill emphasized the need to remain calm.
"There will be big-match pressure, but the team that manages it better will win the final. We just have to treat it as any other match. We have already played four matches here and performed nicely, so there is no extra pressure on us," he elaborated.
When asked about India's woes in ICC finals, Gill opined that winning a title would take some pressure off.
"Once you win one title and end the jinx, you are not desperate to win the second one. Desperation is never good. I am not saying we are not hungry—yes, we are—but we are not desperate," he said.
Aside from personal genius, Gill also emphasized the need for team harmony in high-pressure situations.
"We don't talk about individual errors, but about how we can support each other to relieve pressure. Assisting a colleague is as valuable as scoring a hundred or picking five wickets. You may not notice these things on the field, but they do a lot for success," he concluded.
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