Good kind of headache to have: Shubman Gill on Jaiswal, Rohit’s form

CHENNAI: India is spoilt for choices, and the third ODI against Afghanistan, on Saturday, was one on display, with Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring a stroke-filled century to stake his claim in the ODI scheme of things.

In the lead-up to the third ODI, Jaiswal’s form was the talk of the town, as the left-hander’s chances were slipping away, but the Mumbaikar scoring his second ODI ton in three innings has now put the ball back in the Indian selectors’ court.

Now with Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill, India has a headache of plenty, with Virat Kohli too close to returning to the Indian ODI setup ahead of the series against England.

"It's a good kind of headache to have when all your players are performing,” Gill said at the post-match press conference.

"I think the squad will be announced either tomorrow or in the next couple of days. We'll see who's in the squad, and then we'll try to put out the best possible XI in England."

But where will Jaiswal fit in the larger scheme of things?

"We'll see where everyone's fitness is. If everyone is fit, like I said, the squad will be announced and, based on that, we'll try to pick the best possible XI,” Gill said, tight-lipped.

However, on the bowling front, things were almost perfect for the Indian management, with the emergence of Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey, with the former ending the series with seven wickets, averaging 19.42, adding to the already strong Indian pace-bowling reserve.

"Yes, I think Gurnoor [Brar] ticked most of the boxes. Some things only come with experience, and hopefully he'll keep growing as a bowler,” the Indian skipper praised the newcomer.

"If I have to be really critical, he did concede a few runs and was a little inconsistent at times. But he's young, playing his first series at the highest level, and he's bowling quick. He has all the qualities we want in a young, tall, fast bowler, and with experience, he's only going to get better."

India’s current ODI setup is filled with pacers who can click at 140kmph, and more, which has certainly left the Indian skipper elated. In the third ODI, it was Prasidh Krishna who snapped up his maiden five-wicket haul, including a stellar first spell where he picked up four wickets, conceding just six runs.

"It's very encouraging. These are great signs for Indian cricket that we can keep producing fast bowlers who consistently bowl at 140-plus. What Prasidh [Krishna] brings to the table is that we saw there was good bounce in the wicket early on and the ball was doing a bit.

"If he keeps hitting those areas consistently, he can create a lot of opportunities for us as a bowler. If he continues doing that, it'll be great for the team."

However, Gill was quick to state that Krishna’s role in the Indian setup won’t be fixed, as he would have to don multiple roles depending on the combination and situation. The Karnataka pacer has shown incredible skills both with the new ball and at the death for the Gujarat Titans at the Indian Premier League.

"It's about being flexible. There isn't one fixed role,” Gill said of Krishna’s role in the setup.

"When we go to England, hopefully Bumrah comes back, so he can take the new ball. If needed, Prasidh can bowl with the new ball as well.

"We're trying different combinations, and we encourage our bowlers to give everything regardless of whether they're bowling with the new ball or as first change.

"We've spoken about giving bowlers like Prasidh and Gurnoor shorter spells three or four overs—and asking them to bowl their hearts out and bowl as fast as they can."

With just one year left to go for the ODI World Cup in South Africa, Gill’s Indian team is shaping up in the right direction, with an incredible pace bowling unit and a juggernaut of a batting department.