The recently concluded three-match ODI series between India and South Africa, which India won 2-1, proved to be a fertile ground for young batting talent, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal both smashing maiden centuries. While Virat Kohli was named Player of the Series, the performances of the two non-regular ODI players have sparked discussions about the future of India’s white-ball squad.
Gaikwad set the tone with a brilliant 105 off 83 balls in the second ODI in Raipur, and Jaiswal followed up in the series decider in Visakhapatnam with an unbeaten 116, earning him the Player of the Match award. Both players received their opportunities due to the injuries sidelining regulars Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer.
Gambhir’s Blunt Reply on 2027 World Cup
Following India’s dominant nine-wicket victory in the final match, Head Coach Gautam Gambhir was asked whether these performances would secure the duo a spot in the 2027 ODI World Cup squad. Gambhir responded with a pragmatic approach:
“Look, first we have got to realise that ODI World Cup is two years away from now. The most important thing is to stay in the present.”
The coach emphasized the importance of young players “grabbing their opportunities” and praised them for doing exactly that in the challenging series.
High Praise for Young Centurions
Gambhir offered high praise for the maturity and quality shown by both players:
- Ruturaj Gaikwad: “He is a quality player, we all know. We wanted to give him an opportunity in this series for the kind of form he was in with India A. He actually grabbed that opportunity with both hands, getting a hundred in the second game, when we were under pressure. We were 40 for 2 and then getting that kind of hundred was proper quality.”
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: “Yashasvi as well. We have seen how much quality he has. What he does in Test cricket. Obviously, it just the start of his career, especially in white-ball cricket. Hopefully, he has a massive future ahead, and so is the case with Ruturaj.”
The KL Rahul-led Indian side opened the series with a 17-run win, faced a hiccup in the second match, but ultimately dominated the decider, chasing down 271 in just 39.5 overs with nine wickets in hand to seal the series 2-1.