India Cricket Team will have a problem of aplenty in the India vs South Africa T20 series. With many still in audition for the T20 World Cup 2024, head coach Rahul Dravid will have to take a call on who gets game-time and who does not. And the ‘problem’ begins in IND vs SA 1st T20 with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad all vying for the openers’ spot.
While Shubman Gill may be the darling of the Indian Cricket Team at present with tons of runs across all three formats, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad are not far away.
Three-horse race
All three batters have had decent run in T20Is this year after a great IPL 2023 run. So, who do they pick? Will Shubman Gill get the backing over Jasiwal and Gaikwad?
Not much separates the trio in terms of runs. But it’s Shubman Gill who is considered as the next all-format superstar. He has skipped T20Is only because he focused on preparing for the ODI World Cup. And in those 13 matches, he scored a century and a half.
Since his debut, Yashasvi Jaiswal has impressed the most with his aggressive batting style in the powerplay. While he has thrown away his wicket occasionally, there is no denying that he has created the most impact. In 13 T20Is, he has scored 355 runs with a strike rate of 163.71 and also has a century.
Ruturaj Gaikwad too has finally struck gold in T20Is. And in terms of runs, he is slightly ahead of the curve. He has scored 365 runs in 10 matches including a century against Australia.
Who should open in IND vs SA 1st T20?
As things stand, there will be a place for only two of the three in the IND vs SA 1st T20. Considering the backing Shubman Gill has got across all formats, it is likely that he will be the first choice.
The question remains of who do they pick as Gill’s partner. It is a direct shoot-off between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
| IPL 2023 | T20I* | |||||
| Players | Matches | Runs | SR | Matches | Runs | SR |
| Shubman Gill | 17 | 890 | 157.8 | 11 | 304 | 146.85 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | 14 | 625 | 163.61 | 13 | 370 | 163.71 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | 16 | 590 | 147.5 | 10 | 365 | 147.17 |
While Jaiswal gets the advantage of being a left-hander with an aggressive approach, Ruturaj Gaikwad is more consistent. In the IND vs AUS series, Gaikwad scored 223 runs at an average of 55.75 and a strike rate of 159.28 including a century.
Jaiswal did have good starts but he fizzled away. He failed to convert those explosive starts. He ended up with just 138 runs including a fifty and struck the ball at 168.29.
Yashasvi Jaiswal still could have the edge as he is a left-hander and plays an aggressive brand of cricket. With Ruturaj and Shubman both players of similar calibre, the Chennai Super Kings opener will likely miss out.
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