February 22, 2025: Ahead of the much-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, Indian vice-captain Shubman Gill provided an update on the status of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. In the pre-match press conference, Gill confirmed that Pant missed the practice session due to being down with viral fever.
The upcoming match is a crucial one for both teams. While Pakistan is fighting to keep its title defense alive, India is looking to almost secure a spot in the semifinals. The game also presents India with an opportunity to avenge their loss in the 2017 Champions Trophy Final, when they were outclassed by Pakistan in a stunning 180-run defeat. The rivalry between the two nations adds further weight to the high-stakes contest, making it one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament.
During the press conference, Gill explained the situation with Pant, saying, "Firstly, Rishabh is, I think, down with viral; that is why he did not come for practice." The news comes as a setback for India, as Pant is a key figure in the middle order and can provide valuable contributions with both the bat and gloves.
Gill also spoke about his role as vice-captain and how he ensures that players not part of the playing XI remain in a positive mindset and ready for their chance to perform. "Those are the kinds of conversations that I have with them whenever I get the chance or if I see if someone is feeling a little low or lacking in something. I talk to them and have those conversations," Gill added.
Despite his role as vice-captain, Gill emphasized that his primary focus remains on batting, and he doesn’t approach the game any differently, regardless of the leadership role. "I feel that is when - or that's what brings the best out of me. So, whenever I am batting out there, I'm just playing however I would play, irrespective of if I am the vice-captain or not," he explained.
On the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash, Gill stated that the team treats every match with the same level of importance and preparation. "This is how we prepare for any match that we play. So that is how we are going to prepare for this one as well," he said.
When asked about the conditions in Dubai, Gill mentioned that dew had not played a significant role during the team's campaign opener against Bangladesh. He noted that it would be crucial to rotate the strike well during the middle overs (11 to 40) and adjust according to the conditions. "Definitely, we want to play aggressive and positive cricket, but that also depends on - the score would be different on every wicket that we play. A 300 on this wicket or 280 on this wicket would be a very good score for us," he added.
Gill also commented on the importance of handling pressure during a high-profile match like the India-Pakistan encounter, explaining that the team is focused on managing the situation without letting it impact their game. "If we do not get dew, then I think it would not make much of a difference. But, for any team - in any big match, if we do not get dew, the team batting later will have more pressure. So, the team that handles the pressure better will have a better chance of winning," he concluded.
Addressing his own recent form, Gill acknowledged his struggles in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he managed just 93 runs across five innings. However, he clarified that his batting wasn’t flawed but recognized the mental aspect of the game. "Sometimes, there is a mental aspect. We focus a lot on batting and think that if we are not getting runs, then there will be some fault in batting. But it is not necessary that there is always something wrong with batting," he said.
With the India-Pakistan clash drawing near, all eyes are on Gill to deliver a solid performance, with India hoping to take another step toward securing their place in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy.
India squad for CT2025: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan squad for CT2025: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Last Updated on February 22, 2025 by Disha Rojhe
