Two days ahead of the first ODI against England, India vice-captain Shubman Gill addressed a press conference, where he reflected on the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy debacle.
Gill said defeat in one series doesn't define the "form of the whole team." Questions are being raised over Rohit Sharma and his men after India lost the Test series against Australia for the first time since 2014-15.
Prior to the BGT, India also suffered a 0-3 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand in a Test series on home soil. As a result, the side won't be playing the 2023-25 WTC final.
However, the focus is now firmly on the white-ball formats, and it needs to be seen whether the Rohit-led side can turn things around by winning the Champions Trophy, slated to get underway on February 19 in Karachi.
"One series does not define the form of the whole team. There are a lot of players who, in the past, have performed consistently in a lot of series and tournaments," Gill told reporters in Nagpur.
"Definitely, we did not play as per our expectations in the Australian series, but still, we played some good cricket," he added.
Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been named in the Champions Trophy squad, but his participation in the marquee event will depend on fitness clearance.
Notably, Bumrah suffered back spasms during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. He was unable to bowl on the final two days of the match as Australia clinched the series 3-1.
"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," Gill stated.
"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," he remarked.
India will open their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
In order to prepare for the ICC tournament, the Men in Blue will play three ODI against England, starting on February 6 in Nagpur.
