Gaikwad or Jaiswal: Who could be Rohit's ideal opening partner in IND vs SA ODIs amid Gill injury

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: AFP]

India have announced the 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa. With regular opener Shubman Gill ruled out due to a neck injury, KL Rahul has been appointed the captain of the side. 

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the lineup, and Ravindra Jadeja also makes his comeback. But among all the headlines, the biggest discussion among fans and experts is about the opening combination. 

Since Gill is unavailable, the question arises: who will open alongside Rohit Sharma? The two most prominent candidates are Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, and both have strong cases. 

However, only one of them will walk out with Rohit in the first ODI, making this competition extremely interesting.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's performance in List-A cricket

Yashasvi Jaiswal appears to be the frontrunner despite having very limited ODI experience. He has played only one ODI for India, where he scored 15 runs against England in Nagpur in 2024. 

[Yashasvi Jaiswal's List A batting stats]

One match is too little to judge a player, and his exclusion since then has been more because of team combinations rather than his ability. 

What makes Jaiswal a serious contender is his consistency in domestic List A cricket. Across 33 innings, he has scored 1526 runs with an impressive average of 53.62, including five centuries. 

Any young player averaging above 50 in List A cricket is already considered of international calibre, and Jaiswal fits that definition perfectly.

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Jaiswal's performances in IPL also strengthen his case, as he scored 559 runs in 14 innings for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. Jaiswal’s biggest advantage may not just be his recent form but his already established partnership with Rohit Sharma. 

The two have opened together successfully in Tests and have shown good understanding and natural chemistry. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad's performance in List-A cricket

On the other side of the race stands Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been in phenomenal form in recent months. Although he has played six ODIs for India, the numbers show that he has looked far more comfortable while opening the innings. 

Out of the 115 runs he has scored in ODIs, 98 have come as an opener, proving that he performs better in his natural position. While his international sample size remains small, his domestic one-day record is outstanding and arguably even better than Jaiswal’s.

[Ruturaj Gaikwad's List A batting stats]

Notably, Gaikwad has played 86 List A innings and scored 4534 runs at an incredible average of 57.39, which is elite level in domestic cricket. Players who average close to 60 across so many innings are extremely rare and are usually international-ready.

Gaikwad has also been one of the most in-form batters in the domestic tournaments over the last three months, scoring 210 runs in just three innings at a staggering average of 105. Whether it was the Duleep Trophy or the Ranji Trophy, he has shown complete control and maturity in his batting. 

If India select the opener purely on recent form and List A consistency, then Gaikwad has a very strong claim to partner Rohit at the top.

Who is likely to open with Rohit Sharma?

Although Gaikwad’s domestic record and recent performances make him extremely difficult to ignore, all signs suggest that Jaiswal has a slight upper hand. Jaiswal has been part of India’s long-term white-ball plans and was already viewed as the third opener behind Gill and Rohit. 

With Gill unavailable, Jaiswal naturally becomes next in line. The left-right combination with Rohit, the existing Test partnership, and his strong List A numbers collectively work in Jaiswal’s favour. 

Notably, if India follow continuity and tactical balance, then Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open with Rohit Sharma in the first ODI.

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