Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], February 6: There were smiles all around in the Indian camp as debutants Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana received their first-ever ODI caps from captain Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Mohammed Shami, respectively, ahead of their maiden match.
Before the match began, the Indian team gathered for a huddle where head coach Gautam Gambhir delivered an inspiring pep talk. Following Gambhir, Rohit addressed the squad, and both debutants were then presented with their ODI caps. Jaiswal embraced Rohit after receiving his cap, while Shami warmly hugged Harshit as he received his.
In their debut game, the duo made an immediate impact. Harshit removed the dangerous Ben Duckett by forcing a top edge, which was brilliantly caught by Jaiswal, who sprinted and dived to secure the remarkable catch. In the same over, Harshit extracted sharp bounce that caught Harry Brook off guard. Brook couldn’t avoid the rising ball, and the ball gloved off to KL Rahul, dismissing him for a duck on just three balls.
Jaiswal, already known for his exploits in Test and T20I cricket, was making his 50-over debut. With stellar performances in red-ball cricket, Jaiswal has emerged as one of India’s brightest prospects. The left-hander has played 19 Tests, amassing 1,798 runs at an average of 52.88, including four centuries and 10 fifties. His highest score is 214*. In 23 T20Is, Jaiswal has accumulated 723 runs at an average of 36.15 and a blistering strike rate of 164.31, including a century and five fifties. He has also excelled in List-A cricket, scoring 1,511 runs at an average of 53.96, with five centuries and seven fifties.
Harshit, on the other hand, has represented India in two Tests and one T20I. In his two Test appearances, he has taken four wickets at an average of 50.75. In his lone T20I, he impressed with figures of 3/33. In 14 List-A matches, Harshit has bagged 22 wickets at an average of 23.45. His best List-A figures stand at 4/17.
Harshit’s inclusion in the team became a subject of debate during the fourth T20I when he replaced Shivam Dube as a concussion substitute and delivered a match-winning spell. The move sparked controversy, drawing dissatisfaction from England fans and criticism from captain Jos Buttler after the match.