India captain Shubman Gill has called for a significant improvement in his team’s fielding after a five-wicket defeat to West Indies in the third and final ODI on Saturday, despite the hosts completing another series victory at home.
Gill identified dropped catches and sloppy ground fielding as major concerns, particularly with India looking to settle their plans ahead of the World Cup.
“I think we dropped around three or four catches today. I don’t think Shai Hope was dropped, but still, dropping three or four catches breaks the momentum,” Gill said after the match.
The skipper felt the problem was not restricted to the final ODI and pointed to India’s overall performance in the field across the three-match series.
“Our fielding in the series, I would say, has not been up to the mark. I think we dropped around seven catches in the whole series, if I’m not wrong.”
Gill stressed that missed catches were only one part of the issue. He also highlighted the need for India to improve their ground fielding, noting that poor work in the field can increase the pressure on the bowling attack when conditions offer little assistance.
“Even in the field today, we gave away many runs. We were quite sloppy. I think leading up to the World Cup, these are the areas where we definitely need to get better. We need to be at our best, especially on the field. If the wicket isn’t helping the bowlers and our fielding is substandard, it becomes difficult for them,” he added.
India are also continuing to assess their options for the all-rounder positions, with Gill naming Anshul and Auqib among the players who could remain in contention.
“Anshul and Auqib are the kind of players who are going to be in the mix a lot. We want someone who can bowl and can bat a bit at number 8. That number is very crucial for us.”
However, the India captain suggested the period for extensive experimentation is nearing its end as the team looks to establish its preferred World Cup combination.
“But I honestly don’t think there is that much time to experiment. Hopefully we get all the players that are available from the next series, and we want to start playing with the combination that we want for the World Cup.”
For Gill, the series victory provided another positive result at home, but India’s fielding remains an area requiring urgent attention.
