Shubman Gill sounded relaxed – almost cheerful – when asked if Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten century in Chennai complicates India’s one-day plans. “It’s a good kind of headache having all the players that are performing,” he said after the 3-0 sweep of Afghanistan. Hard to argue. India suddenly have more openers than slots as they inch towards the 2027 World Cup.
Key facts first
• India beat Afghanistan 3-0, chasing 219 in the final ODI.
• Jaiswal finished 114; Rohit Sharma, 79 (69 balls).
• Young quick Gurnoor Brar topped the series wickets chart.
• Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has floated B Sai Sudharsan as another future opener.
The immediate dilemma sits at the top. Gill and Rohit are the incumbents. Jaiswal has now added two ODI hundreds – Saturday’s effort backing up his 116* against South Africa last December – yet still finds himself on the fringes. Ishan Kishan lurks, capable of pinch-hitting or taking the gloves. And, if the support staff are serious, Sudharsan is waiting in the IPL-polished wings.
Selection chat
Gill kept it straightforward. “So, we will see the [ODI] squad for England … If everyone is fit … we will try to make the best XI possible.” No grand declarations, just the usual nod to fitness tests and balance. Jaiswal struck a similar chord when asked about being in and out: “I just focus on my process – what is in my control and try to work hard as much as I can and there’s all support from the support staff.”
Those lines sound rehearsed, yet they do reveal a calmer set-up. Players know where they stand; they also know a century doesn’t automatically grant a long run.
Brar’s mixed bag
Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar, 21, thrilled the coaches by touching 145kph and finding bounce, especially on a flat Chepauk surface. His figures – 1 for 49 off eight – were decent, if not dazzling. Gill’s assessment felt fair: “Yes, he did tick most of the boxes but there are some things that he can only learn from experience … he was a little bit inconsistent at times but he is young … With experience, he is only going to get better.” A gentle reminder that raw pace is only the opening act; accuracy finishes the show.
Spin back-up
Left-arm fingerspinner Harsh Dubey was frugal in Dharamsala and Chennai despite conditions offering little grip. He did not get a bat, but the team views him as a serviceable lower-order option. Nine first-class fifties suggest the optimism is reasonable, though untested at this level.
Looking ahead
The next white-ball assignment is England’s short tour – five T20Is and three ODIs from 1 July. Squads are expected soon, and that is where the logjam should crystallise. Rohit, 39, rarely plays every ODI these days but has shown no appetite to relinquish the format. Gill is cemented. The question is whether the selectors gamble now, easing a youngster in while the stakes remain low, or bank experience and wait until 2027 creeps closer.
What we learned
1. Jaiswal can convert in ODIs; opposition quality isn’t a caveat.
2. India like having four (maybe five) openers in the conversation.
3. Brar offers pace but needs polish; Dubey gives control and depth.
4. Communication – if players are to be believed – is flowing.
None of it is revolutionary, yet it matters. World Cups are won by squads that know their roles long before boarding the flight. India, for once, have time and a surplus of options. Whether that “good kind of headache” develops into a migraine will hinge on how, and when, they trim the list.
