Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke openly about the participation of experienced batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the 2027 ODI World Cup. Gambhir also praised Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal and said that the next edition of the ODI World Cup will also feature young batsmen.
India concluded the three-match ODI series with a nine-wicket win over South Africa at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, December 6. South Africa were all out for 270 runs in 47.5 overs. The home team achieved the target in 39.5 overs losing only one wicket and won the series 2-1.
They are world class players – Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
Speaking in the press conference, Gautam Gambhir praised Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and called them world class players. Gambhir said that his experience will help the dressing room.
“They are world-class players and their experience in the dressing room is important. They have been doing this for a long time. Hopefully, they can continue to do that, which will be important in the 50-over format.”
When Gambhir was asked about his chances of participating in the 2027 ODI World Cup, Gambhir reminded everyone that the tournament is still two years away. He said that the young players coming into the team should make the most of their opportunities.
“First of all you have to realize that the ODI World Cup is two years away. It’s important to stay in the present, and the young boys coming into the setup take their opportunities.”
We wanted to give Ruturaj Gaikwad a chance – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir said that Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a century in the second ODI despite batting in poor conditions. He said Gaikwad earned his place in India A with strong performances and proved his worth when the team was under pressure.
“First of all you have to realize that the ODI World Cup is two years away. It is important to stay in the present and the young boys coming into the set-up make the most of their opportunities,” Gambhir said.
He further said, “A player like Rutu (Gaikwad) has batted out of position, but he is a quality player. We wanted to give him a chance in this series because of the form he was in with India A. And when we were under pressure, he grabbed that opportunity with both hands.”
Yashasvi Jaiswal has a big future – Gautam Gambhir
The head coach also said that Yashasvi Jaiswal has already shown his quality in Test cricket. Gambhir expressed confidence that both Jaiswal and Gaikwad have a bright future in the white-ball format.
“To score a 100 like that was reasonable quality. And Yashasvi too, we have seen how much quality he has, especially in Test cricket. This is just the start of his career, especially in white-ball cricket. Hopefully he has a big future and so does Rutu.”
After Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer were out due to injury, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad got a chance in the playing eleven. Jaiswal, who worked as a backup opener, scored a century in the third ODI.
Gaikwad, usually an opening batsman in white-ball cricket, was pushed to number 4. He scored a century in the second ODI and made a partnership of 195 runs with Virat Kohli. It will be interesting to see the role of Gill and Iyer after their return.
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