"Series would have been a draw and this talk wouldn’t have happened" - Team India batter hits back at critics ahead of IND vs ENG 1st ODI 2025

Team India batter Shubman Gill felt they was unlucky to lose the final Test of the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, which eventually cost them the series. The 25-year-old believed ace Jasprit Bumrah's untimely injury in the first innings of the Sydney Test and his absence in the second essay helped Australia secure the win.

With the series in favor of the hosts at 2-1, India captured a four-run first innings lead in the finale in Sydney. While they only scored 157 in their second essay, Australia had to chase 162 on an extremely challenging track to clinch the series.

However, Bumrah, who was later adjudged the Player of the Series for his heroics over the first four Tests, could not take the field for the entirety of the Aussie run-chase. It led to Australia winning comfortably in only 27 overs with six wickets in hand, thereby handing India a 1-3 series loss.

Having lost 0-3 at home in the previous Test series against New Zealand, the defeat to Australia led to severe criticisms of the Indian Test side.

Talking to the reporters ahead of the home ODI series against England, Gill responded to the critics by saying:

"One series does not define the form of the whole team. We were unfortunate not to have (Jasprit) Bumrah on the last day, and we would have won the match, and the series would have been a draw, and this talk wouldn't have happened. There are a lot of players who, in the past, have performed consistently in a lot of series and tournaments" [via Hindustan Times].

He added:

"We did not play as per our expectations in the Australian series, but still, we played some good cricket. One match and one day doesn't define us. We won there twice before, and earlier, we won a World Cup and then reached the final of a World Cup, so we should keep all those things in mind."

The back-to-back series defeats eliminated India from the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time in tournament history.

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Team India continued their incredible white-ball form against England

India recorded a thumping win over England in the recent T20I series at home [Credit: Getty]

While Team India have been on a downward spiral in Test cricket, their white-ball form has been sensational over the past two years. The recent 4-1 win over England was India's sixth consecutive bilateral T20I series win.

The Men in Blue have also won 28 out of their last 31 T20Is, including an unbeaten run to the title in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Asian giants, however, suffered a surprising 0-2 ODI series defeat in Sri Lanka last year.

Yet, their ODI form before that was brilliant, with a title run in the 2023 Asia Cup and a runner-up finish in the 2023 World Cup.

India will now take on England in a three-match home ODI series, starting in Nagpur on February 6. The series will be a build-up to the all-important 2025 Champions Trophy, starting February 19.