Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandra Ashwin has urged the team’s think tank to bat Virat Kohli at number four in the Champions Trophy to accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final XI. Ashwin wants the team management to make the most of Jaiswal’s hot form with the bat.
Jaiswal was India’s highest run-getter in the recently Border-Gavaskar trophy as he scored 391 runs in five Test matches at an average of 43.44.
The southpaw has played 23 T20Is for India in which he has scored 723 runs at an average of 36.15 but he is yet to make his ODI debut. Ashwin wants India to open with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal and wants Shubman Gill to bat one down.
On the other hand, Shubman Gill has scored 2328 runs in 47 ODIs at an impressive average of 58.2.
Citing Sachin Tendulkar’s example, Ashwin noted that the Master Blaster also batted at number four in ODIs.
Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “Yashasvi Jaiswal opens along with Rohit, Gill at 3. He has performed well. Virat Kohli can play at 4. Sachin Tendulkar has also played at 4.”
Ashwin highlighted that Shubman Gill is a certainty in the 50-over format as he has an impressive record.
Ashwin concluded, “Shubman Gill is a good player. Don’t judge him by changing the format. You can judge him according to the format you want. If there is contemplation for that, then okay. But I think Shubman Gill is almost a certainty in the ODI team. I have no doubt about that.”
India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
