Following India's loss to New Zealand in the third ODI, former India captain Ajinkya Rahane has critiqued Shubman Gill's captaincy, specifically regarding his utilization of spin bowlers. The match, which took place on January 18, 2026, saw New Zealand post a total of 338 runs. Rahane believes Gill missed a trick by not using Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja more effectively during the middle overs.

Rahane pointed out that Kuldeep Yadav only bowled three overs in the middle, and Jadeja was held back until the 30th over. He argued that these are the bowlers who can take wickets and that India made a mistake by not utilizing them earlier. Zaheer Khan, another former Indian bowler, agreed with Rahane, stating that bringing Jadeja into the attack after the 30th over was too late. Khan suggested that the strategy might have been to give Nitish Kumar Reddy more time to bowl, but it ultimately limited their options.

Adding to the criticism, former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Ian Smith also voiced his concerns about Gill's captaincy during the third ODI. Smith noted that after the initial breakthroughs by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, India failed to maintain the pressure. He observed KL Rahul directing field placements during the later overs, while Gill seemed to lack ideas. Smith felt that Gill needed to be more proactive and involved, especially when the team was under pressure. He also criticized Gill's positioning on the field, saying that standing at long-off took him out of the game. Smith acknowledged the difficulty of captaining a team with many senior players and former captains but emphasized the importance of being actively involved in the game.

Meanwhile, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has also weighed in, criticizing Gill's batting technique, particularly his approach to inswinging deliveries. This came after Gill was bowled by Kyle Jamieson in the third ODI. Gavaskar compared Gill's current technique to when he scored 754 runs in England, emphasizing how close his bat and pad were at the time. He criticized the advice Gill received to change his backlift for limited-overs cricket, calling it "rubbish".

Following Gavaskar's criticism, Ravichandran Ashwin provided a detailed technical breakdown of Gill's batting on X, formerly known as Twitter. Ashwin analyzed Gill's receiving position, his bat lift, and the challenges he faces transitioning between red-ball and white-ball cricket. Despite the analysis, Ashwin concluded by saying that Gill is a fantastic player and that the mistake wasn't significant, attributing it to a momentary lack of awareness and Gill's natural dominance of his bottom hand.

Despite the criticisms, it’s important to note that Gill is still young and learning the ropes of captaincy. As Ian Smith pointed out, leading a team with many experienced players can be challenging. However, these critiques from seasoned players like Rahane, Gavaskar, and Smith highlight areas where Gill can improve both as a captain and a batsman.