• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

After the setback in the ODI World Cup last month, India's next target is the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June 2024. India have started preparations for the next showpiece event with a fresh squad featuring youngsters. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma and Ravi Bishnoi are among the probables to feature in the T20 World Cup squad.

With the current bunch of players picked for the T20Is against South Africa, Indian selectors will be in a conundrum over openers' with a choice of three players. Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the three openers in the squad. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that Gill and Gaikwad will be the best-suited opening pair for the series while Gill and Jaiswal will give the left-right combination in the pair.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli Will Play 'Major Role' In Tests Against South Africa, Feels Jacques Kallis

"For this series, Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Yashasvi Jaiswal is also there. He has also done well. If the team wants a left-hand, right-hand combination then Shubman Gill and Yashashvi Jaiswal," Gavaskar said on Star Sports before the start of the first T20I.

In the absence of Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav is leading the T20I side after the successful 4-1 series win over Australia. Gavaskar said the return of Rohit to the T20I side will make the situation more complex as he along with Gill will be the first-choice openers. The veteran batters added that it will be a 'good problem' for selectors for the T20 World Cup.

ALSO READ | India Unlikely To Play Pink-Ball Test Against England In Upcoming Series: Report

"It's a very good problem to have. Also, there is Rohit Sharma, who is waiting, whether he is going to be available for the T20 World Cup that remains to be seen," he said.

The first T20I between India and South Africa got washed out due to persistent rain in Durban on Sunday. The second T20I fo the five-match series will be played at Saint George's Park in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

India’s squad for three T20Is: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Deepak Chahar.