NEW DELHI, July 11
The Zimbabwe tour is turning out to be an audition for India’s top order going forward, now that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired from T20Is. After Abhishek Sharma’s century in the previous match, it was the turn of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal to show what they can offer as India posted another comprehensive win in Harare on Wednesday. After the batting unit powered them to 182/4, Washington Sundar’s Player-of-the-Match spell of 3/15 gave India a 23-run win.
India lead the series 2-1 with the last two T20Is set to be played over the weekend. With Jaiswal joining the team ahead of Wednesday’s match, all eyes were on how India were going to shape their batting order.
With a top-heavy squad at their disposal, it was a given that at least one of their four openers on tour would have to bat out of position, what Ruturaj Gaikwad did in the first two matches. But India went a step further, slotting Jaiswal as Gill’s partner at the top. It meant Abhishek, who made it to the team on the back of his electrifying performances in the IPL and scored a century off 46 deliveries as an opener in the last game, was pushed down to No.3 and Gaikwad went further down. Warming the bench on Wednesday were Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma.
With Jaiswal and Gill putting together a 67-run stand, Abhishek came in only in the ninth over, well past the Powerplay.
In what were the most batter-friendly conditions they have witnessed so far on this tour, he struggled for fluency and fell for just 10. Gaikwad reached the middle in the 11th over off the innings. Right through the IPL, he played as an opener who accelerated gradually. Batting in the middle overs, where teams mostly rely on explosive batsmen, he had an unfamiliar role to don.
Coming to the party
But on Wednesday, he didn’t have any choice but to hit top gear straight away as Gill was striking only at 120.68 at the half-way stage.
Zimbabwe’s fielding helped him on his way to an impressive 49 off just 28 deliveries. After an unbeaten 77 at No.3, another creditable performance at No.4 means he will most likely vie for a slot alongside Gill for the right-handed opener’s role going forward. For the left-hander’s role, it seems a battle between Jaiswal and Abhishek.
Between Jaiswal and Abhishek, it is evident who is higher in the pecking order despite modest returns in IPL 2024. Jaiswal may not be as explosive and natural fit in T20s like Abhishek, but few can hit the ball as long and hard as he does. And unlike Abhishek, Jaiswal also has the game to bat deep into the innings without having to change his game. It is this trait that is making India look at him as an all-format player. It hasn’t come off for him in T20Is as yet, as he got out after making 36 in his first match since the IPL.
For Gill, it was an innings that showed him the mirror in terms of where he stood in T20Is. The high-risk, intent-full batting doesn’t seem to come naturally to him. Like Virat Kohli did in the IPL, he is showing a willingness to change his approach, showing aggressive intent. But there are plenty of yards for him to gain as despite departing only on the last ball off the 18th over, he only had 66 runs to show from 49 deliveries.
India’s top-heavy line-up meant Sanju Samson and Rinku Singh only managed 8 deliveries between them. But are sure-shot inclusions going forward, and it won’t make India sweat about their form as India still managed a decent score.
Washington special
The total proved way beyond Zimbabwe’s reach. By the time Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed had combined to leave the hosts struggling at 19/3 in 3.1 overs, the chase was more or less over.
From there on, it was an opportunity for Washington to send a reminder.
.@bishnoi0056 takes a STUNNER ?? ??#SonySportsNetwork #ZIMvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/GuE51tA6Pi
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 10, 2024
During the last IPL, when he played just two matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad, he bowled only 5 overs, which played a role in him not getting a spot in the T20 World Cup squad.
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Among those on the fringes, this tour is crucial for Washington. A spinner who bowls in the Powerplay, his batting too is under-utilised. Another top-order batsman, he is vying for a slot in the lower- middle-order and though he hasn’t had the opportunity to bat, the off-spinner got a chance to show his worth with the ball. With Ravi Bishnoi – who took a stunner at cover – being the only other spinner in the squad, Washington will have a run of matches to show what he has to offer.
With big boundaries in play, he slowed down his pace and bowled outside the off-stump, and it fetched him the wickets of Sikandar Raza, Jonathan Campbell and Clive Madande before Dion Myres (65 off 49) and Wellington Masakadza provided something for the locals to cheer.
