After all, 50-over cricket is his favourite format, and he has dominated the Kiwi bowling. To course correct though, Gill must put behind the recent setbacks.

Gill’s neck spasm early in the first innings of the Kolkata Test in November hurt India. The hosts played the rest of the game against the Proteas without their captain, were a batter less and lost. In the subsequent T20I series, Gill looked out of rhythm. His run of 4, 0 and 28, at an average of 10.67 and a strike rate of 103.23 cost him a place in the T20 World Cup side.

The life of an international cricketer in India is never easy, even so for the India captain who is a hot property in world cricket.

Earmarked as a future T20I skipper as well, not being picked for the World Cup was embarrassing. Dealing with disappointments while living in the public eye is difficult as every move is under scrutiny. For his character to shine, how he handles the disappointments is going to be important.

The first few days back in the Indian dressing room at Vadodara can be a bit awkward to handle for the captain who has lost his place in another format. Hence, the focus on Gill will be intense in the first ODI on Sunday. The experts will be analysing not just his batting but his body language too.

There are lessons for Gill to take from his T20 experience. Despite strong backing from chief selector Ajit Agarkar, why didn’t things work out?

After all, he was selected on the basis of his performances in IPL where he has done so well for Gujarat Titans, scoring 650 runs last season at an average of 50 and an impressive SR of 155.88.

Switch didn’t work

It was the change in approach that affected Gill’s game. To fit into the Suryakumar Yadav-led India’s ultra-aggressive batting approach, the opener was trying to play against his grain while he is more effective when the focus is on pacing his innings. Even for Gujarat Titans, his success has come while playing that way.

It augurs well that after his injury break (toe) suffered ahead of the Lucknow T20I against South Africa – it was abandoned – Gill is first playing a 50-over game for India. The pace of the game suits his approach – batting long and pouncing on any error in length and line from the bowler.

Gill would have any day preferred to play New Zealand at home. The Kiwis won’t forget his batting in their last three-match ODI series in India. With 360 runs in three games, Gill was Player-of-the-Series in the series sweep.

It was a series where he didn’t put a foot wrong. In the first ODI at Hyderabad, Gill, 23, smashed 208 off 149 balls to become the youngest to score an ODI double century. He finished with a 78-ball 112 in the final game. In the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final win over the Kiwis at the Wankhede, Gill scored 80*.

It is one thing to quietly slip into the team set up, but there is no hiding when you are the leader. Gill will have to focus on the task at hand, put the setbacks behind, take control of the team, and focus quickly finding his batting rhythm. It is never easy to stamp his authority in a dressing room with stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, players he has learned from them when he came into the team.

He would have been more comfortable playing under Rohit till the 2027 World Cup, but he is now in a situation where he leads the all-time ODI greats.

The best way to lead is by example. Gill did that on his debut Test series as captain in England with a blockbuster show with the bat. Though his ODI captaincy debut in Australia didn’t go as per script, Gill’s numbers in the format are exemplary. His average of 56.36 is only next to Kohli.

Being a two-format player saves from burnout, the breakdowns having shown it was taking a toll on Gill’s body. A format and rival that suits him is as good an opportunity as he will get to begin the tune-up for the 2027 ODI World Cup, using the selection snub as motivation.