Gautam Gambhir Impressed by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s ODI Breakthrough
During a compelling match against South Africa, Yashasvi Jaiswal joined elite company by becoming the sixth Indian batter to score centuries across all three formats of the game. His performance in the third ODI at Visakhapatnam was pivotal, resulting in India’s nine-wicket victory over South Africa.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir shared his enthusiasm over Jaiswal’s milestone, emphasizing the player’s promising future. Jaiswal has become a consistent presence in the Test format but had limited experience in ODIs, having played only four matches until the recent series, where he replaced the injured Shubman Gill.
Strategic Insights from Gambhir on ODI Success
Reflecting on Jaiswal’s success, Gambhir highlighted the difference between red-ball and white-ball cricket. He noted, “In one-day format, you need to know the template you want to play.” The coach advised young players to adapt their playing style, combining traditional ODI strategies with a touch of T20 dynamism for effective innings construction.
Jaiswal’s notable innings of 155 with Rohit Sharma and a second-wicket stand of 116 with Virat Kohli illustrated his ability to anchor and accelerate the innings appropriately.
Implications for India’s Future Squad Selections
As Shubman Gill is recovering and expected to participate in the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, and with Shreyas Iyer recuperating from injury, the competition for spots remains fierce. Nonetheless, Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who also impressed with a century in the series, demonstrated their capabilities when opportunities arise.
Gambhir’s comments suggest that the selectors aim to expand the team’s depth to include a group of 20–25 players leading up to future ICC tournaments, such as the 2027 World Cup.
Expanding India’s ODI Depth and Versatility
The Indian team also eye further all-round options, such as Harshit Rana, to enhance their lineup’s potency. Harshit Rana picked up three early wickets in the first ODI, a performance Gambhir specifically referenced when discussing Rana’s potential as a batting allrounder at No. 8. By developing players like Rana, India hopes to balance their squad with three effective seamers who can also contribute with the bat. Gambhir also noted that Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana have each played fewer than 15 ODIs, underscoring their relative inexperience in the format.
Moreover, the flexibility of Washington Sundar in diverse batting positions is valued highly by Gambhir, as he advocates for a dynamic approach to ODI batting orders. Gambhir pointed to Washi’s big contributions which is a hundred at Manchester and a fifty at the Oval and noted that Washi has batted across the order, including at No. 3, No. 5, No. 7 and No. 8, demonstrating his adaptability.
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