ENG vs IND 2026: T20I series loss won’t affect us, says Shubman Gill

India's ODI captain Shubman Gill brushed aside concerns over the team's disastrous T20I campaign on Monday, insisting the format switch and the return of senior players will bring a fresh perspective. India lost all but one of their seven T20I matches on the tour, including a first-ever bilateral series defeat to Ireland and a record 4-0 whitewash to England, a result that also cost them their ICC number one ranking.

Gill's focus is firmly on the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The three-match ODI series against England, starting Tuesday at Edgbaston, doubles as crucial preparation in English conditions that mirror the World Cup venues. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul returning to the squad, India's batting depth and bowling strength look significantly sharper than the T20I setup.

"I don't think the defeats will affect us. This is a different format, different team, and different goals. The atmosphere and the feelings are both different. The pitches here will be closer to the ones we will find in South Africa. So it is about finding the right combinations," said Gill as quoted by Sportstar.

The team faces the challenge of missing pace spearhead Nitish Kumar Reddy and quick bowler Harshit Rana due to injuries, players the selectors had earmarked for significant game time before the World Cup. Gill acknowledged the unavoidable adjustments but rejected the idea that they leave the side unsettled.

"We were a bit unfortunate that Nitish Kumar and Harshit Rana got injured. We wanted to play them in as many matches as we could before the World Cup so that they feel settled. But now we cannot play the 11 or 12 players we had decided before the series. So we are forced to make changes. It is not an unsettled XI. But you do have to give chances to players to experience pressure before the World Cup," Gill said.

On the state of the 50-over format itself, the right-handed batter advocated for bringing back triangular tournaments to make the game more competitive.

"What can make a difference is if we can bring back the triangular series. It's fun to face against two different teams in different venues. That will make the format more interesting to play and watch," Gill concluded.

India begin their three-match ODI series on Tuesday, July 14, at Edgbaston in Birmingham, with matches also scheduled at Cardiff and concluding at Lord's on Sunday, July 19.