Shubman Gill has defended Rohit Sharma's recent batting form following India's 2-1 ODI series loss to New Zealand. Despite Sharma's relatively quiet performance in the series, where he scored 61 runs in three innings at an average of 20.33, Gill asserted that Sharma is still in "terrific form".

In the third ODI, Sharma managed just 11 runs off 13 balls. Throughout the series, the veteran opener had scores of 26, 24, and 11. This led to questions about his form, especially considering India's series defeat.

Gill, however, highlighted Sharma's performances in previous series against Australia and South Africa, noting that Sharma had been in excellent form. Gill acknowledged that while Sharma got starts in the New Zealand series, he wasn't able to convert them into big scores. "As a batsman, you always want to convert those starts and always want to make it count and make it into hundreds. But it's not possible to do it every time. But at the same time, that's something that you always strive to do," Gill said.

Sharma's recent form before the New Zealand series had been strong. He won the Player of the Series award in the three-match contest against Australia, scoring over 200 runs. He followed that with a good performance in the South Africa series.

Gill also reflected on the team's overall performance in the series, expressing disappointment with the loss. "After the first match, coming here 1-1, the way we played disappointed. There are areas we need to look back, reflect, and do better," Gill said. He did, however, praise Virat Kohli's batting form and Harshit Rana's contributions. Kohli scored a century in the final ODI, while Rana made a half-century.

Looking ahead to the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup, Gill mentioned that the team is focused on providing opportunities to young players like Nitish Kumar Reddy. The goal is to identify the right combinations and strategies for the team.

Despite the series loss, Gill's defense of Sharma underscores the team's confidence in the experienced opener and their focus on building towards future tournaments. Gill's statement reflects the understanding that fluctuations in form are a natural part of the game, and that Sharma's past performances are a testament to his abilities.