Shubman Gill's decision to travel with a personal water purifier has nothing to do with the recent water contamination incident in Indore, where the third ODI between India and New Zealand is being played as per reports.
The India captain became the subject of widespread discussion after several media outlets suggested he brought his own filtration system because of the crisis that claimed multiple lives in the city.
As per Cricbuzz and Dainik Jagran, Gill has been using a personal purifier on tours for quite some time. His habit stems from a strict hydration routine he adopted after recovering from dengue in 2023-a period that affected his participation in the ODI World Cup. Since then, maintaining controlled and consistent hydration has become
a key aspect of his fitness plan. The reports also note that similar devices are used by many professional athletes across various sports.
The purifier, an alkaline water RO system reportedly priced around ₹3 lakh, has been set up in Gill's hotel room in Indore. Alkaline water intake is not new within the Indian cricket team either, with Virat Kohli also known to consume it as part of his dietary choices.
Meanwhile, on the cricketing front, the three-match ODI series is finely poised at 1-1. India, under Gill's leadership, drew first blood in Vadodara by sealing a four-wicket win, largely due to Virat Kohli's commanding 93 off 91 balls during a successful chase of 300. New Zealand, despite missing several first-choice players, responded strongly in the second match at Rajkot. After restricting India to 284/7 despite KL Rahul's superb century, the visitors chased down the target courtesy of a match-winning unbeaten hundred from Daryl Mitchell.
The decisive third ODI is underway at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, where India opted to bowl first. New Zealand, on the other hand, are chasing a slice of history. The Kiwis have never won a bilateral ODI series on Indian soil. Their last historic achievement in India came in 2024, when they stunned the hosts with a 3-0 clean sweep in a Test series.
Gill's water purifier, however, is simply part of his personal health routine-unrelated to the current situation in Indore.
