India captain Shubman Gill refused to offer any sort of clarity regarding Rohit Sharma’s imminent ODI future after the series win against Afghanistan. The right-handed batter, who has his eyes set on making the trip for the 2027 ODI World Cup, roared back into form with a 79-run knock in the third and final match against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. However, the same match saw Yashasvi Jaiswal hitting an unbeaten century as the Men in Blue cruised home with nine wickets in hand.
The same three-match series also saw Ishan Kishan smashing a ton in the second ODI, and the battle for selection is truly heating up. It’s no secret that the current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, is a big fan of right-left combinations at the top of the order, and both Yashasvi and Ishan have made a strong case to be included in the squad.
India’s next assignment is against England, and the squad for the three ODIs is expected to be named next week. However, Gill refused to give a clear answer regarding who will open the batting in the upcoming three-match series.
“I mean, it is a good kind of headache having all the players that are performing, and I think the squad will be announced tomorrow or the next couple of days. So, we will see the squad, and then we will have the best XI to put out anyway. I mean, we will see where everyone’s fitness is. If everyone is fit, like I said, we will see who is in the squad, and based on the squad, we will try to make the best XI possible,” Gill told reporters in the post-match press conference.
‘Phenomenal’
Jaiswal was named in the squad for the ODI series against Afghanistan as the replacement for Virat Kohli, who suffered a hamstring injury during the IPL 2026 final between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Gujarat Titans.
Jaiswal got out for a low score in the second ODI but answered his critics in style with a century in the third and final match in Chennai. He also shared a 170-run opening stand with Rohit.
“Honestly, we all know he is a phenomenal player. And it’s not easy for any player. If all the players are available, he is the unfortunate one who sometimes misses out. And because Kohli was not available in the series, he had the opportunity; he got a couple of games, and he played really well today,” Gill said.
“So hopefully he will continue to perform, and he will continue to keep grabbing the chances,” he added.
Speaking of Gill, he was named the Player of the Series after a fantastic haul of 238 runs in the three-match series, with his best score being 154, which came in the second ODI in Lucknow.