Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 26 Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Saturday hinted that India’s first-choice opening pair will be Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, but said that should not be viewed as an “unfair” treatment of Yashasvi Jaiswal, urging him to keep on working hard on his game.
Jaiswal played the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home but was not included in the squad for the subsequent tour to England.
But the left-hander has again been drafted into the 15 for the ODIs against the West Indies, beginning here on Sunday.
“I think there is so much competition (for team spots) and so many players are performing. Jaiswal…we all know he is one of the best batters and whenever he gets an opportunity he performs. So he is part of the team,” Kotak told reporters on the eve of the first ODI.
“As a support staff, we look after his skills, practise and his mindset and Gautam (Gambhir) also talks to him a lot, but sometimes you see, say if (for example) there are three very good wicketkeepers, only one can play,” Kotak said alluding that Jaiswal still has to bid his time for more regular chances in the 50-over format.
“So, it is not that somebody has been unfair to him. He should keep working hard and waiting for the opportunity and so far whenever he has been getting the opportunity, he has performed,” he added.
The ambition of Rohit and Kohli to play in the 2027 World Cup is also carrying Jaiswal forward, and Kotak sees a lot of value in their presence in the dressing room on the road to South Africa.
“See, it is all about selling experience. They always do that. Whenever I have seen all the experienced players, even Gautam because he was playing, the level they have experienced, and when they see some player is going through a similar condition or situation, they always
talk to them.
“I think selling experience or selling whatever you have learnt is a great thing to do because it is getting knowledge or refreshing your knowledge as well. So, I always see them talking to senior players even when they abstain from talking to me or Morne (Morkel) or Sairaj (Bahutule).
The experience in the dressing room, Kotak felt that, helps the team in building towards the World Cup in a more meaningful way.
“So what we discuss and what we try, obviously Gautam is there, Virat and Rohit obviously are there. We take everybody’s advice and think about how we need to start preparing if we bat first or bowl first. For example, WC is in South Africa, so what kind of wickets we can get. So, we prepare anyway.
“So from now on, our plan is to do (planning) series by series. Luckily, we have a New Zealand series where it is outside Asia. So, there will be some different conditions – moisture, grass, all will be different.
“If we can successfully do that, within a year’s time we should be ready for any challenges, any different wickets or any different bowling attacks,” he said.
Senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been brought back into the white ball squad after a gap of eight months, and Kotak said the spinner is very much in the scheme of things for the big event.
“He is obviously in the mix. I mean, obviously, I am not part of the selection. So, I don’t know what they are thinking. I just think that whoever is coming and playing for India, they are obviously part of the 20-25 players who possibly are in the mix.
“Jadeja is an outstanding bowler. We all know his records and I mean how the team will set up and what kind of a combination selectors and captain and head coach will go with, that is the second thing. But Jadeja is one of the best fielders on a world level. The experience he has…I actually firmly believe that experience is something you cannot beat. So, like we see Rohit and Virat, we see Jadeja, they bring a lot to the team,” Kotak explained.
Gill is fit
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Kotak said skipper Shubman Gill, who was pinged on his right elbow by Mohammed Siraj while training, is fit to play Sunday’s match.
“Gill is looking good, I think he is good to go tomorrow,” said Kotak.
Gill did not come to nets on Saturday, and, in fact, only pacer Auqib Nabi and support staff came to the ground on an optional practice day.
(PTI News)
