New Chandigarh: India captain Shubman Gill hailed his side’s all-round display against Afghanistan as a near-perfect performance, saying the team had ‘ticked all the boxes’ in a dominant victory that showcased both the depth of India’s bowling attack and the direction of a young side in transition.
“I think a complete win from us, ticked all the boxes. So very happy with that,” Gill said during the post-match presentation.
The victory also offered a glimpse into India’s future under a younger core of players. With several senior figures absent and a new generation taking on greater responsibility, Gill acknowledged that transitions often place added scrutiny on the batting unit.
However, he believes the team’s path forward is straightforward: build a batting group capable of consistently posting big first-innings totals while relying on a bowling attack he believes can win matches anywhere in the world.
“I’d say pretty simple. When you’re batting first innings, try to post 350 on the board every time you get into bat, no matter where we are playing, what kind of conditions it is,” Gill mentioned.
The confidence in India’s bowling resources, he said, provides the foundation for that philosophy. “I think there’s enough trust in our bowling group that we can take 20 wickets anywhere.”
One of the key decisions during the match came after India bowled Afghanistan out for 152. With a massive first-innings lead in hand, Gill and the team management had to decide whether to enforce the follow-on in challenging conditions.
The India captain revealed that the decision was influenced as much by his bowlers’ energy levels as by the state of the game. With temperatures soaring, the team had kept its options open before eventually asking Afghanistan to bat again.
“It was very hot. We decided that if we get them before lunch or just after the first drinks, we’ll see if the bowlers are fresh we’ll give them a follow-on. If not, we’ll bat a couple of sessions and maybe at the end of the day, we’ll give them the ball again,” Gill said. IANS