India captain Shubman Gill has called the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 'unfinished business', saying the painful memory of the 2023 final defeat to Australia drives his hunger for another shot at the marquee tournament. Gill made the remarks ahead of India's third ODI against the West Indies, speaking on JioStar.

The Rematch India Has Been Waiting For

The 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup kicks off on 2 October, with the final scheduled for 21 November. Two-time champions India open their campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on 7 October — an immediate rematch of the 2023 World Cup final, where Australia defeated India in Ahmedabad. The 14-team tournament will be played across South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Gill on 2023: 'You Don't Play One Game Well'

'Yes, absolutely, it's unfinished business because of the way we played throughout that World Cup. We were looking like the best team in the tournament. But World Cups are like that. You might play the entire tournament well, but you don't play one game well, and that game could be the final of the World Cup,' Gill said.

He added: 'As a player, you don't get that many opportunities to represent your country in a World Cup. There could be two, three, four, five, you never know. So, every World Cup that you play for your country is a big honour. So, very grateful to be able to play another one.'

Captaincy Is a Responsibility, Not a Boyhood Dream

Gill, who is set to lead India at the 2027 World Cup, said the captaincy was never a childhood ambition — but he has embraced it fully. 'Even while growing up, it was not really my dream that I had to become India's captain one day. My dream was always to play for the country and win matches for my country,' he said.

'When I got this opportunity to captain, obviously, it was a big honour and a big responsibility. I look at it as I have been given the responsibility of the team, and that makes things a lot easier for me. I don't feel that much pressure about this thing because I feel that if I do things with the right intent, then everything will fall into place,' he added.

Rankings a 'Tick Mark', Not a Goal

On his rise to the No. 1-ranked ODI batter in the world, Gill recalled first achieving the feat during the 2023 World Cup and described it as a milestone he had ticked off as a youngster. 'It felt good. As a kid, you look at the rankings, so it was like a tick mark,' he said.

However, he stressed that the honour no longer defines his focus. 'Right now it doesn't matter as much. For me, it's more important that if you step out in a match, go to bat, then how you can make the team win, how you can contribute,' Gill said. Notably, India's 2027 campaign opener against Australia offers the side a chance to rewrite one of the most painful chapters in recent Indian cricket history from the very first match of the tournament.