India vs Afghanistan – Before the first T20I in Mohali, Rahul Dravid, the head coach of india, expressed that Yashasvi Jaiswal is the preferred opener alongside captain Rohit Sharma. Despite Jaiswal missing the opening match due to a groin injury, he lived up to his coach’s words in Indore.
His impressive knock of 68 runs off 34 balls, along with Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 63 off 32 balls, played a crucial role in India’s six-wicket victory, securing the series win by comfortably chasing down the 173-run target with 26 balls to spare.
Bahut maza aaya batting karne mein, wicket bhi kaafi acha tha (I really enjoyed my batting, and the wicket was also good). We had a really good target to chase, and in my mind, I wanted to give a good start,” Jaiswal shared with BCCI.tv.
The southpaw also disclosed the advice he received from Captain Rohit Sharma before facing the first ball.
He told me, ‘Just go and play freely.’ He’s always there to look after us. It’s always incredible to have a senior like him,” Jaiswal mentioned.
On Fazalhaq Farooqui’s run-out, I was a little confused—should I go for it or not. Then I decided I should sprint and dislodge the wickets,” Jaiswal commented.
Reflecting on the partnership with Virat Kohli, he expressed, “It’s always a pleasure to bat along with Virat Bhaiyya. It’s an honour to play with him. We had conversations about what shots we can play on this wicket or which areas we can hit.”
Even if Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma secure their spots for the T20 World Cup, a few ducks in the recent matches are unlikely to impact their selection. It appears to be a bundled decision, irrespective of their individual performances.
This situation puts pressure on younger batsmen, who have performed well and shown positive intent in their chances, to compete against each other for a spot.
Both seasoned players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, seem to have acknowledged the importance of strike rate. This was evident in Rohit’s aggressive attempt, resulting in being bowled for a duck after the run-out incident in Mohali. Similarly, Kohli showcased an uncharacteristically aggressive approach from the beginning.
In pursuit of 173 to secure the series against Afghanistan, Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal provided the momentum, easing the pressure and securing a six-wicket win with 26 balls to spare.
With two seemingly fixed slots, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube appeared to be in competition to outperform each other in their partnership, aggressively aiming for boundaries in every ball.
The inclusion of Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the playing XI meant Tilak Varma and Shubman Gill, who was responsible for Rohit’s run-out in the previous game, had to make way. Suryakumar Yadav is expected to return once he recovers from injury.
However, the impending return of Hardik Pandya raises questions about team adjustments before the T20 World Cup, with only one T20I left before the mega event. The performances in the IPL will likely play a crucial role in selection decisions.
