Aakash Chopra has backed India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir’s comments about Shubman Gill’s captaincy struggles. Chopra admitted that Shubman Gill has often been forced to lead the India National Cricket Team in Tests and ODIs without his strongest possible team because of injuries, workload management, and player unavailability.
This has made Gill’s job even harder, as India have lost three series under his captaincy this year. Gill has not regularly had key players like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya available. India also suffered several injury setbacks, including during the ODI series in England, which they eventually lost 2-1. Earlier, Shafali Verma creates history, becomes first woman to score Asian Games century.
Aakash Chopra backs Gautam Gambhir as India’s injury crisis creates fresh concern
Gautam Gambhir has highlighted the same problem, as the Men in Blue are all set to host the West Indies in the three-match ODI series later this month.
Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are with the T20I squad for the Asian Games 2026, while Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy are injured, leaving Shubman Gill with a second-string bowling attack for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies at home.
Speaking after India’s 3-0 T20I series win over Afghanistan, Gambhir said that Gill should have his strongest playing XI available more often in both Test and ODI formats so that he gets proper support and a better chance to succeed.
The head coach also made it clear that he is ready to take criticism as the coach, but Gill needs a stable and strong team around him to perform well as captain. Gambhir said at the press conference, “It’s not fair on a young captain as well if he doesn’t get the best team playing consistently and regularly and not being on par consistently, if I have to be dead honest.”
Injuries, unavailability and workload: Aakash Chopra reveals Shubman Gill’s big problem
As the head coach’s remarks go round on social media, Aakash Chopra feels Gambhir was simply pointing out the reality and was not targeting any particular player.
He believes it is becoming increasingly difficult for India to have a fully fit and available squad across all three formats because of injuries and workload management.
Aakash Chopra said in a video posted on his YouTube channel, “He’s (Gambhir) not wrong; the story has now become such that you cannot get the entire team available. Sometimes someone gets injured, sometimes someone is unavailable, and sometimes it is workload management.
I don’t think he is hinting at anyone or anything. To get a fully prepared and available team for all formats is becoming impossible.” Amid this, Aakash Chopra reveals Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Shami rejected his podcast invite.
Shubman Gill’s captaincy hit by India’s growing injury crisis
The former batter also highlighted how such problems can hurt India’s preparation, especially during overseas tours. During India’s recent red-ball tour of Sri Lanka, Gill had to deal with last-minute injuries to Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan, and Washington Sundar.
This meant the captain could not prepare with his strongest combination before the matches. Chopra also pointed out that preparation becomes even more important when India travels to SENA countries—South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.
He added, “You don’t get the full opportunity to prepare. It has also been discussed that if you are going to play in SENA countries, do you have enough time to prepare? That preparation is very important. You should prepare well and then try to play with your best full-strength side.
So, Shubman Gill sometimes feels hard done by. He must be feeling, ‘I am playing, but I don’t have my main bowlers.’ If you look at the team for the West Indies ODIs, it is not a full-strength team.”
Source: cricketaddictor.com
