IND vs NZ 2026: Shubman Gill takes blame off spinners in India's series loss

India captain Shubman Gill came out in support of senior spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav following India’s 1-2 loss to New Zealand in the recently concluded three-match ODI series, after both bowlers endured difficult outings in home conditions.

The veteran all-rounder finished the three-match series wicketless, conceding 141 runs across 23 overs. , He has just managed to pick up only one wicket in the last 6 ODIs he has played, while contributing 43 runs with the bat across the span of three innings with an average of 14.33. Kuldeep, who has been India’s primary strike spinner in ODIs over the past few years, leaked 182 runs in 25 overs at an economy rate of 7.28 and an average of 60.66, as New Zealand batters successfully neutralised his threat.

Jadeja’s returns with the bat also came under scrutiny. Batting in the middle order, the veteran cricketer was expected to add stability and acceleration in the business end of the innings. However, he failed to post a major score, extending his wait for an ODI half-century on Indian soil. His last fifty at home dates back to 2013, when he scored 61 against England in Kochi. In the Indore ODI, Jadeja was dismissed at a crucial moment with Virat Kohli well set at the other end.

The Indian skipper, however, has backed the Saurashtra cricketer by saying that Jadeja appeared in good batting rhythm despite the lack of significant scores, while also pointing to a broader issue within the batting group.

"Firstly, I think about Jaddu bhai. I don’t know how many matches he has played over the past couple of years, but in terms of his batting, he was looking in good touch. That said, I think all of us batters, especially, were not able to convert the starts we got. Whenever you play in India, you usually see high-scoring matches, and if batters get starts but don’t convert them at least two of them it always becomes difficult," Gill said at the post-match press conference.

Kuldeep unfortunate to not have picked as many wickets: Gill

The unorthodox spinner's lean series came after a strong run in recent seasons. He enjoyed his most successful ODI year in 2023, claiming 49 wickets in 30 matches, followed by 19 wickets in 11 ODIs in 2025. Drafted in as the lead wicket-taking option in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep was targeted effectively by New Zealand’s middle order, particularly Daryl Mitchell. Gill acknowledged Kuldeep’s long-term value for the Men in Blue.

"Sometimes these things happen. Kuldeep has been bowling really well over the past couple of years and has always been a strike bowler for us. It’s unfortunate that he wasn’t able to pick as many wickets as he would have liked, but in these kinds of series, you learn, and you grow," Gill said.