Following the Champions Trophy, there’s been a lot of talk about the future of veteran ODI players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, team vice-captain Shubman Gill clarified on Saturday that the Indian team’s locker room isn’t currently engaged in discussions about the retirement of these two celebrated cricketers. While both Kohli and Rohit continue to perform strongly in the ODI format, some cricket analysts have suggested that winning the Champions Trophy might prompt one or both players to consider retiring from their careers.
During a pre-match press conference before Sunday’s Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, Gill stated, “There is no talk about retirement in the dressing room right now.”
Gill expressed his privilege at being part of what he considers the ‘best batting line-up’. He also pointed out that the depth of their batting order allows the top order batsmen to play with greater freedom.
“This is the best batting lineup I’ve been involved in. Rohit is among the best openers globally, and Virat’s achievements speak for themselves. The strength in our batting lineup gives the top order the liberty to play more freely,” said Gill, who has been India’s most consistent ODI scorer in the past two years. Regarding the upcoming match, Gill acknowledged the significant pressure to secure the trophy but voiced confidence in their team’s ability to succeed this time, learning from their loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
“We are all excited for the final. We couldn’t win the 50-over World Cup last time, but we are determined to win this time,” he added.
The accomplished ODI batsman believes that the team that manages pressure effectively on the crucial day will ultimately win the prestigious trophy.
“There will be significant pressure in such a big match. But the team that handles pressure best will win the final. We need to approach it as just another game, which is what successful teams do. We have played and performed well in four matches here, so there’s no extra pressure on us.”
