India is eager for the Champions Trophy crown but not desperate, according to Gill.

DUBAI (Reuters) – India’s hunger for a global title remains undiminished but there will be no desperation when they clash with New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday, opener Shubman Gill said.

India ended an 11-year global title drought when they won the Twenty20 World Cup in West Indies last year under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.

Stopping that barren run has allowed them to play the big matches like Sunday’s final without getting overwhelmed by the occasion, said the 25-year-old Gill.

“Sometimes once you get one title, I think that kind of breaks the jinx,” he told reporters at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on the eve of the final.

“It gives you momentum, and you aren’t too concerned about winning the title. When desperation sets in, things don’t go well. Then it is difficult to remove the occasion from the equation.

“In all of these huge games, the individuals or teams that can overcome the pressure and take the occasion out of the game have a higher chance of winning.

“I think winning the title in 2024 doesn’t mean that we are less hungry but I think it makes us more balanced that yes we’ve won an ICC title and we’ll try to do our best to win this one.”

India is the tournament’s only unbeaten team, having defeated New Zealand in a group game in Dubai.

“I think this is the best batting lineup that I have been part of,” Gill told the crowd. “Rohit and Virat are among the greatest one-day players in history. Rohit is one of the finest white-ball openers, and Virat is one of the top ODI batters of all time.

“Our batting depth has made things simpler for top-order batters. Because of our batting depth, those of us in the top order can play with a lot more flexibility.”