Ashwin reflects on Gill's captaincy (Source: @avnishh26/x.com, @CricCrazyJohns/x.com)
After India’s ODI captaincy was transferred from Rohit Sharma to Shubman Gill, Team India is still looking for their first ODI series win under the new captain. The recent ODI series defeat against New Zealand has only intensified the scrutiny around Gill’s captaincy in the 50-over format.
From tactics to on-field decisions, every move came under the scanner as several legends of the game highlighted flaws in his approach. Adding to this, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin drew the difference between Gill’s captaincy with some other Indian greats.
Ashwin highlights the gaps in Gill’s captaincy compared to Indian greats
Ever since Shubman Gill stepped in as India’s ODI captain, scrutiny has followed him, growing louder after back-to-back setbacks in the format. Making debut as India’s ODI captain in Australia, Gill had a forgettable outing as Team India faced a 2-1 defeat.
The setback came back in the recently ended three-match ODI series against New Zealand. Despite taking the lead with a thrilling victory in the first game, they faltered in the last two matches and ended up losing the series by a 2-1 margin. As the criticism struck hard on the Indian captain, Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out his flaws.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he drew examples of great Indian ODI skippers like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. By breaking down their decision-making, he highlighted the areas Gill needs to focus on to grow as a leader.
“Why do we praise Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni so much as captains? Because they know where to use the resources and when to bring the resources, and against which batsman. This was a little missing. You shouldn’t lose confidence in a bowler on the basis of the previous game,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
Ashwin raises concerns over Gill’s tactics involving Kuldeep
In the third ODI against the Kiwis, the Men in Blue faced a massive setback as the New Zealand side blew them in every department. Amid the batting collapse, Shubman Gill’s handling of Kuldeep Yadav became a major talking point.
Ravichandran Ashwin was limited to a six-over spell, finishing with just one wicket while conceding 48 runs.
While reflecting on Shubman Gill’s flaws, Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out this. He felt the Indian spinner should have been used more smartly to seize crucial moments in the high-stakes clash.
“I would have loved to see two-over spells. If the same Glenn Phillips had to encounter Kuldeep Yadav through the middle overs in two-over spells... give one run to Daryl Mitchell, try and bowl round the stumps. If you use the resources properly and if there is a failure, then it's done. The point is, you bowl your best bowlers at the right time,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.
India’s 50-over woes demand urgent answers
After Team India went to a transitional phase, Shubman Gill took charge of the ODI side, along with the longest format. But the transition in the 50-over format didn’t come smoothly as the Men in Blue faced massive setbacks. Captain Shubman Gill started his captaincy with a series defeat on Australian soil.
They returned with a strong showing in the home ODI series against South Africa, but woes came back against the Kiwis. Despite good starts, they faltered in the mid-way and that caused heartbreak. While the 2027 ODI World Cup may seem distant, the time to fix these flaws and build a strong comeback in the format is now.
