As an outsider peeking in, Shubman Gill, who missed India’s T20 World Cup triumph, has kept his hunger burning for another World Cup, the 50 overs one. Not only did Gill vamooze to France while Suryakumar Yadav’s team toiled here after he was dropped from T20, his reasons for shifting focus to the ODI challenge, is how his Indian team was denied in the finals at Ahmedabad on November 19, 2023.
“That story is over,” SKY laughed talking about Ahmedabad losses, pleased with the T20 turnaround. But the story will only truly be over in South Africa in 2027. What was lost in 50 overs, needs to be reclaimed in 50 overs. And it’s Gill tasked with that challenge now.
When Harsha Bhogle asked Gill if the tiny tingling thought crossed his mind often, Gill said, “Sometimes definitely the mind goes to thoughts of 2027. The ODI World Cup is the ultimate goal. We will get another crack at it in South Africa, we were very close last time,” he would say, face screwed into determination.
As such, India’s 13-year-wait since MS Dhoni’s 2011 title (he really had a good 7 year run at ICC white ball events from 2007 to 2013), was only ended when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were crowned T20I champs in 2024.
“We needed that one spark, that one step, which we crossed in 2024,” Surya said. “The taste (chaska) was important, about what it takes to win ICC…Now that we’ve got it, let’s collect as many titles as possible,” he beamed.
When pointedly asked about the 2028 Olympics, he would remind there was also (yet another T20) World Cup earlier that year. “Olympics is a big opportunity..so why not do three in a year? It’s a big event, the Olympics.”
Given how fortunes change in T20, with Sanju Samson as mascot of turnarounds, Gill, heading into IPL, might fancy his chances too. But any Indian would trade an ODI WC for a bunch of those T20 ones, so on his sights is 2027 SA.