India's ODI blueprint under captain Shubman Gill prioritizes building a pace-heavy attack with tall, fast bowlers ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The team focuses on injecting youth like Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana into the squad.
Addressing the media after completing a 3-0 sweep over Afghanistan in the ODI series, Gill highlighted that old balls and fielding restrictions make batting easy in the middle phase. To counter this, tall pacers are tasked with bowling short, aggressive spells to extract extra bounce and create breakthroughs.
The management is also willing to persist with seam-bowling all-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy, ensuring they receive ample playing time in tough conditions to build match readiness and confidence.
"Honestly, [with] the combinations and the kind of bowlers that we are trying to play, that's what we are trying to create as many opportunities as we can. In that middle phase, we have seen once the ball gets old, on a good wicket with only four fielders outside, batting does get very easy. So, that's the idea behind having [someone like] Gurnoor [Brar], in the squad, someone like a Prasidh [Krishna], even a Harshit [Rana]. Tall fast bowlers, [because] they offer a little bit more to us.
"We're trying to do that. Someone like [Nitish Kumar] Reddy, it's important to give him that many overs in the middle, even if we know that we have got maybe better bowlers for those conditions who can give us the wickets. But it's important for us that players like that have some confidence going into the World Cup," Gill told reporters in Chennai.
The Indian captain’s comments came after Prasidh claimed the first five-wicket haul of his career in the third and final ODI against Afghanistan at Chepauk on Saturday (June 20). He took each of the first four wickets, reducing the visitors to 36/4 in the Powerplay.
Gill hinted that Prasidh's role may change going forward, with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah expected to return for major away assignments like the upcoming series in England. He encouraged the quicks to bowl in various phases of the innings rather than being locked into specific roles.
"It's about being flexible. There is not a certain role," Gill said on Prasidh's role definition. "When we go to England, hopefully [Jasprit] Bumrah bhai comes back in. So, he is going to bowl the new ball if need be. Prasidh could be one-change bowler or can maybe bowl with the new ball. We're seeing different kind of combinations and we encourage bowlers - whether they are bowling with the new ball or as the first-change - to go all out.
"We spoke about giving short spells to bowlers, especially bowlers like Prasidh or Gurnoor [Brar]. We give them 3-4 over spells, and tell them to bowl their heart out, bowl as fast as they can."
Shubman Gill praised debutant Gurnoor Brar as the standout find of the ODI series. Brar's remarkable pace and ability to hit hard lengths proved effective against Afghanistan, as he finished the series with 7 scalps to his credit.
"I think he ticked most of the boxes, but there are some things that you only learn with experience and hopefully, he is going to keep growing as a bowler," Gill said. "If I have to be really critical, he did go for a little bit of runs. He was a little bit inconsistent at times, but he is a young, he is playing his first series at the top level and he is bowling quick. He has got all the good signs that we want from a young, tall, fast bowler. With experience, he is only going to get better."
Gill said the emergence of several fast bowlers capable of consistently touching 140kph+ mark was a great sign for Indian cricket.
"Very encouraging [signs]. It's great signs for Indian cricket that we can keep grooming fast bowlers who can bowl at that pace consistently. Thin right now we have a good bunch of fast bowlers who can bowl 140 plus, are tall, can hit those areas and can still create opportunities with the old ball when there is nothing much offered from the wicket or from the conditions," he concluded.
