India’s first-ever bilateral ODI series defeat at home against New Zealand marked a sobering moment for the team, and captain Shubman Gill chose honesty over comfort while reflecting on the setback. Following the 41-run loss in the series decider at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, Gill laid bare what he believed was the biggest reason behind India’s downfall.
According to Gill, the issue was not a lack of intent or skill, but a failure to bat deep enough in crucial moments.
“For me, it wasn’t that we didn’t bat well,” Gill said after the match. “It was that we didn’t bat long enough. When batters get starts and don’t convert them into big scores, especially in high-scoring games, it becomes very difficult.”
Gill stressed that in modern ODI cricket, starts alone are not enough. He pointed out that at least two batters need to play extended innings to put genuine pressure on the opposition — something New Zealand did consistently throughout the series.
“That was the difference between them and us,” he admitted.
Missed Conversions Cost India Dearly
India’s struggles to convert promising starts haunted them across all three matches. Even in the decider, when Virat Kohli’s century briefly revived hopes after India slumped to 71 for four, the lack of support from the other end proved costly.
Gill repeatedly returned to the contrast in approach between the two sides.
“Whenever their batters got set, they went on to score big,” he said. “Even in the first two matches, I got set myself but couldn’t convert it into 100, 120, or 130. As a batting unit, that’s something we need to improve.”
New Zealand’s ability to turn foundations into match-defining totals ultimately allowed them to dictate terms, even in conditions traditionally considered favourable to India
Accountability Without Blame
When questioned about Ravindra Jadeja’s diminishing impact in recent seasons, Shubman Gill chose balance over blame. Rather than isolating individuals, the India captain widened the lens to include the entire batting group.
“Jaddu was batting well,” Gill said. “But it wasn’t just about him. As a unit, we didn’t do enough to turn starts into big contributions.”
Gill reminded that Jadeja has consistently been a wicket-taking option for India and framed his quieter outings as part of cricket’s unpredictability.
“He’s delivered for us so many times. Sometimes wickets don’t come, and that’s part of the game. The key is learning from those phases and moving forward.”
Missed Chances in the Field Hurt
Gill was equally straightforward about India’s struggles in the field, admitting that dropped catches at crucial moments swung momentum away from the hosts.
“We let a few important chances slip,” he said. “At this level, when you don’t take those catches, it makes things much harder.”
Those missed opportunities allowed New Zealand batters to extend partnerships, apply pressure, and ultimately seize control during key phases of the match.