Aakash Chopra Says Shubman Gill Must Deliver at Lord’s If India Wants to Finally Win an ODI Series vs a Top Team

India and England are neck‑and‑neck in the three‑match ODI series – the visitors stole the opener, the hosts levelled the second, and now everything comes down to the third at the hallowed Lord’s on Sunday.

On his YouTube channel, former Test stalwart Aakash Chopra didn’t mince words. “The focus will be on Shubman Gill because his year has been brilliant, his numbers against England are impressive, but as a captain he hasn’t won an ODI series against a top side yet. Afghanistan is nice, but it doesn’t count the same way,” he said, a hint of impatience in his tone.

That admission hits close to home for Gill, who has shouldered the weight of expectations all season. Chopra believes a “substantial knock” is the only way for the 24‑year‑old to silence the doubters. “If you’ve lost to Australia and New Zealand, this is the one you need to win. He’s in incredible form, so we expect him to bat long – just like he did in the first two games,” the former opener added.

It isn’t just Gill in the limelight. Chopra flagged another recurring storyline: the tussle between Virat Kohli and England’s paceman Jofra Archer. Kohli survived the first encounter but fell to Archer’s pace in both subsequent matches, a fact that has sparked endless debate on the Indian skipper’s technique.

Team balance also surfaces in the conversation. According to Chopra, India’s “fifth‑bowler problem” is becoming more obvious. Washington Sundar, who bowled sparingly in the first two games, was ruled out with a hamstring injury before the third, and Shivam Dube has been shuffled between the crease and the back‑end without a clear role.

“India haven’t used Sundar enough as a bowler, and when they do, it’s only a few overs. Dube is made to bowl, yet you never get him to bat higher up. It’s a puzzle we need to solve,” Chopra explained, suggesting that the side is unlikely to make sweeping changes but must trust Sundar a little more and give Dube a clearer purpose.

Harsh Dubey has been named as Sundar’s replacement, offering a fresh option, though whether he can fill the dual‑role void remains to be seen. All the while, the core XI looks set to stay the same, placing even more pressure on Gill to produce a match‑winning innings.

So come Sunday, all eyes will be on the young captain at Lord’s. Will he finally break his own duck and lead India to a series win against a genuine heavyweight, or will the fifth‑bowler conundrum continue to haunt the Men in Blue? Time, and a few runs, will tell.