'We were talking at nets about...': Shubman Gill opens up on 2027 World Cup planning with Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo)

India captain Shubman Gill has thrown his weight behind the future of One-day Internationals, insisting the 50-over format should remain untouched while suggesting the return of triangular or quadrangular series to make bilateral cricket more engaging. Speaking on the eve of the first ODI against England at Edgbaston, Gill dismissed suggestions of reducing the format to 40 overs and said the 50-over World Cup remains the pinnacle of ODI cricket. "I think, for me, I mean, I grew up watching 50-over cricket a lot, and it remained a very integral part of my childhood, whenever I think of it. When I think of the World Cup, the first thing that comes to my mind is the 50-over World Cup. So, in that sense, for me, the most prestigious World Cup, if anyone wants to win it, will be the 50-over World Cup. So, I don't think it should be 40-over." Instead of changing the format, Gill believes introducing multi-nation tournaments more regularly would make ODI cricket more attractive for both players and fans. "One thing is that we used to play Triangular Series a lot, and it was fun to watch. You know, India used to play in Australia, India-Australia-Sri Lanka. So, I think, maybe, if we get a chance to play Triangular Series, because two teams are playing in a different venue. So, if we get a chance to play, it will be fun. You are not playing with the same team. You are playing with two different teams, in different venues. So, I think, if we want to make this format interesting, instead of having bilateral Triangular Series, maybe Quadrangular Series, I don't know, if we do something that will be interesting to play and to watch. " India begin the three-match ODI series looking to bounce back from a disappointing white-ball stretch that saw them lose 2-0 in Ireland before suffering a 4-0 defeat in the T20I series against England. Gill also congratulated the Indian women's team after their landmark 270-run victory over England in the first-ever women's Test at Lord's. "I think a very proud moment for us. Our women's team winning a historic match at Lord's. And I think we have all seen how special it is, playing at that stadium. How special it is to play there and how special it is to win there. So, huge congratulations to them." Looking further ahead, Gill revealed he has already begun planning for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa through discussions with Virat Kohli about the ideal squad composition for those conditions. "We (him and Kohli) were talking (at nets) about the combination. Which combination can be the best for SA? Which players are there who may not be in the team right now, but can help us in the future? "Which bowlers are there? Which all-rounders are there? Which spinners are there? So, we were talking about all that." Gill also welcomed the return of Jasprit Bumrah , who rejoins the ODI squad after being rested to manage his workload following IPL 2026. "Bumrah is coming into the setup after a bit of time. And hopefully, he has had a good number of overs leading up to this one-day series. "And hopefully, this one-day series goes well for him and hopefully we will win the series and end up on a high," he added.

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