Since the end of the recent five-match Test series in Australia of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, many reports have claimed that India’s young opening batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, is likely to be included in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to start on February 19, as the blue brigade will play all of their games at the Dubai International Stadium.
Jaiswal is yet to make his debut for India in the 50-over format despite his colorful performances in the longest and shortest format. But his position has been advocated by the former captain and opening batter of the national side, Sunil Gavaskar, who has desired to see the left-handed batter open with captain Rohit Sharma.
Jaiswal has featured in 32 innings of the List-A format, where he has collected 1511 runs at an average of 53.96 and a strike rate of 86.19 with the help of seven half-centuries and five centuries with the best score of 203.
Sunil Gavaskar votes for Yashasvi Jaiswal to open with Rohit Sharma for India
The 25-year-old Shubman Gill, on the other side, has been part of 47 ODIs since making his debut in 2019 to smash 2328 runs at an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 101.74, shouldering on six centuries and 13 half-centuries at the best score of 208.
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The former captain of India, Sunil Gavaskar, has highlighted that Jaiswal would provide a right and left combination at the top of the order for the national side.
“Who wants to be an Indian selector? For me, the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal is because he brings that left-handedness. One of the biggest plusses or minuses, depending on which way you look at it, is the fact that there will be white balls.” The former Mumbai opener expressed during a discussion on Star Sports.
The 75-year-old reckoned that a great delivery for a right-handed would be a wide delivery for the left-handers, and with Rishabh Pant around, the right-left combination will always be beneficial for the national side.
“So what is a great delivery for a right-hander becomes a wide down the leg side for a left-hander, which means an extra run and an extra ball. So that left and right-hand combination, even in the middle, with Rishabh Pant around, all these things will make a big difference.” Gavaskar shed light.
Jaiswal hasn’t been given a chance for India in the five-match T20I series at home against England, and that could be an indication of him getting an opportunity for the three ODIs against the Jos Buttler-led side. The recent issue of the batter in Australia has grown issue, among the selectors.
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The 23-year-old Jaiswal has already smacked 1798 runs in 36 innings of the longest format at an average of 52.38 and a strike rate of 65 with the help of four centuries and ten half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 214 runs. In 22 T20Is for India, he has grabbed 723 runs at 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.31.
However, it would be incredibly hard for the selectors of India to ignore Gill from the playing eleven, as the Punjab-born was the leading run-getter for the blue brigade with the help of 1584 runs in 29 innings at an average of 63.36 and a strike rate of 105.45 with the help of five centuries and nine half-centuries at the best score of 208. If he gets selected in the middle order, then the toss-up will be between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.