Yashasvi Jaiswal-Ruturaj Gaikwad as openers and Shubman Gill at No.3: Sanjay Manjrekar makes SA vs IND claim

Sanjay Manjrekar has made an interesting suggestion ahead of the South Africa vs India T20I series, saying that the team management should continue with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as the openers while using Shubman Gill at No.3.

Jaiswal and Ruturaj were used as the openers by India during the series against Australia, with Rohit Sharma and Gill being rested following the World Cup 2023 campaign. The duo performed expectionally well, with Ruturaj ending up as the highest run-getter in the series with 223 to his name from five matches.

Jaiswal also impressed by providing India with some fast starts and scored a 25-ball 53 in the second match against the Aussies.

SA vs IND: T20I Squad Details

Gill’s return does present a selection conundrum to the team management as the Indian star has always opened the batting in his T20I career. Gill has scored 304 runs from 11 matches while opening with a strike-rate of 146.85.

However, Manjrekar feels that a compromise could be made.

Speaking to Star Sports, the former cricketer said that he would start with Jaiswal and Ruturaj with Gill coming in at No.3.

“Will India think of disturbing this opening combination of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal? However, Shubman Gill has that track record. My compromise would be Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad to continue and Shubman Gill at No. 3,” said Manjrekar.

Manjrekar said that the Indian batting order has tremendous depth at the moment and is struggling to fit in the in-form Ishan Kishan in the lineup. Kishan scored consecutive fifties in the first two matches of the series against the Aussies.

“I will bat at Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. Then you have got Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and Shreyas Iyer – that’s your batting order. There is tremendous depth. How do I fit in Ishan Kishan? I am struggling,” said Manjrekar.