In the second ODI between India and South Africa, while the visitors took the game away in the final over, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Virat Kohli were the highlights of the match for Team India.
India’s beloved Kohli started his innings with a six. It almost looked like the modern great was picking up from where he left off in the last game. Meanwhile, Gaikwad, who took some time to get going, complemented Kohli’s ton with one of his own – a maiden ODI century for a batter who has been smoking bowlers in the domestic circuit. Kohli and Gaikwad blazed through the innings not just with boundaries but also with some clever running between the wickets. The two rotated the strike brilliantly as singles and doubles poured through the partnership.
The 28-year-old made a comeback into the Indian setup, but it was only because the Indian skipper, Shubman Gill, was injured. Gaikwad recently became the second-fastest player to 5,000 T20 runs in India’s premier domestic tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He also scored a century in the first unofficial one-day match between India A and South Africa A in Rajkot. His recent numbers made it difficult for the selectors to ignore him, and with a spot opening up in the XI, it was almost assured that the management would look towards Gaikwad to get the job done.
The question now is: What happens when Gill returns to the ODI set-up? Will Gaikwad have to give up his place after proving himself with a century, or will someone else make way? If we look at India’s batting line-up, especially at the top, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been unable to produce impactful knocks in the two ODIs so far. Meanwhile, another batter could also enter the fray: Shreyas Iyer. What would that mean for Gaikwad, who has finally pushed his way into India’s XI?
The hunch here is that when Gill returns to the set-up after recovering from the injury he sustained in the first Test against South Africa, it will be Jaiswal who loses his place. Jaiswal has been giving away his wicket in far-from-ideal ways, while Gaikwad, in comparison, is a batter who understands the pacing of the format very well. Gill, the captain, is a certain starter and will take up his usual position as an opener, while Gaikwad keeps his place at No. 4.
Shreyas could very well be slotted into the No. 5 position, which may mean that Washington Sundar warms the bench, considering he hasn’t been trusted much with the ball so far in the series – making his all-round capabilities somewhat redundant in the current context.
In more ways than one, Gaikwad’s century has done more than just win him a spot; it has forced a conversation India can no longer postpone, and his rise might just reshape the top order.
