Indian cricket selections of ten trigger emotions that go far beyond sport. Few decisions illustrate this better than the phases where Shubman Gill was dropped from the Indian T-20 World Cup team, while Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan were preferred. At first glance, this appears irrational to fans—Gill represents technique, temperament, and long-term promise. Yet selectors opted for Samson’s explosiveness and Kishan’s left-handed aggression.
Surprisingly, this mirrors one of the most misunderstood tensions in investing and personal finance, i.e. long-term compounding versus short-term outcomes.
Shubman Gill is often described as a “classical investment.” His game is built on sound fundamentals—timing, patience, shot selection. He may not always explode in the first few overs, but given time, he tends to accumulate value consistently.
In financial terms, Gill resembles a large-cap stock, a blue-chip mutual fund or a long-term SIP strategy. Such investments may appear boring in the short run. They don’t double overnight, and they don’t create headlines every week. But over time, they deliver predictable, sustainable returns.
Many investors make the mistake of abandoning these “Gill-like” assets during temporary underperformance, just as selectors sometimes bench him after a few low scores. The irony is that these assets are often the ones that create the most wealth over a 10–20-year horizon.
From a personal finance perspective, if your goals are retirement, a child’s education, or long-term wealth, your portfolio must be Gill-heavy, i.e. disciplined, patient, and compounding.
On the other hand, Sanju Samson represents flair, instinct, and unpredictability. On his day, he can win matches single-handedly. On other days, he can be dismissed early, leaving fans frustrated.
In investment language, Samson is like a mid-cap stock, a thematic or sectoral fund or a startup equity bet. These investments can generate extraordinary returns in short periods, but they can also underperform sharply. Selectors choose Samson when they want immediate impact, much like investors chase momentum stocks during bull markets.
The risk with this strategy is over-allocation. Many investors load their portfolios with “Samsons” because stories are exciting and returns look glamorous, until volatility hits. Without a solid Gill-like base, the portfolio becomes unstable. Ishan Kishan’s selection of ten depends on match conditions. A left-hander at the top, he disrupts bowling plans and maximises powerplay advantages. His value is contextual. In finance, Kishan resembles tactical asset allocation, like short-term debt or arbitrage funds. These are not meant to be permanent holdings. They serve specific purposes like liquidity, tactical advantage, or short-term goals.
When selectors drop Gill, it is rarely because he lacks ability. It’s usually because the T-20 format requires aggression, quick runs and risk.
Cricket formats offer a brilliant analogy from a ‘financial goals’ perspective. While Test cricket is like retirement planning, ODIs are medium-term goals (purchasing a home), and finally T20S are short-term goals (vacation). The mistake most people make is playing T20 shots in Test matches— chasing quick returns for goals that demand patience.
Good selectors, like good financial advisors, balance stability with aggression, rotate players based on conditions, avoid emotional decision making and focus on end results.
Dropping Gill does not mean he is a bad cricketer. Selecting Samson or Kishan does not mean they are better players. It simply means the change of context. Similarly, selling a long-term investment does not mean it was wrong. Buying a high-risk asset does not mean it will always work. The real mistake lies in misalignment between strategy and objective.
If you want financial success, build your portfolio around Gill-like discipline, adding Samson-like aggression selectively and Kishan-like tactics wisely. Because in cricket, as in money, class may not always trend, but it endures.
The writer is the Founder and CEO of fintech startup FinCist.
