Here are five takeaways from India’s squad for their three upcoming ODIs against South Africa.
India squad for South Africa ODIs
KL Rahul (c & wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh
Jaiswal gets a chance: finally
After 27 Tests, Jaiswal’s Test average continues to hover around the 50-mark. Given his astonishing record in the IPL, his strike rate of 164 from 23 T20Is is hardly surprising either. In List A cricket, he averages 52.62 with a strike rate of 86. Everything points at him being an excellent ODI prospect.
Yet, such has been India’s ODI batting depth that he has played only one game in the format so far. In Australia, Rohit showed signs of the old class, while new captain Shubman Gill has been Rohit’s worthy partner. At No.3, Kohli seals a spot. Jaiswal’s only hope lay in one of these three missing a game.
That happened when a neck injury ruled Shubman Gill for much of the first Test and the entire second Test against South Africa. Gill has now been ruled out of the ODIs as well, opening a slot for Jaiswal. He is likely to get three chances at this: with the World Cup nearly two years away, he has to make the most of every opportunity he gets.
Pant is back, but is there a slot for him?
Pant has not quite been able to transfer his Test success to limited-overs internationals. His 31 ODIs have fetched him only 871 runs at 33.50 and 106. Across 2021 and 2022, however, these numbers read 44.63 and 109, but a horrific accident ruled him out for more than a year. Since his comeback, he has played only one ODI.
Shreyas Iyer’s injury has opened a slot at No.4, but Pant has three strong competitors. Among wicketkeepers, Jurel was ahead in the pecking order: he was picked for the ODIs in Australia and Pant was not. However, Jurel is yet to play ODIs. Tilak has played four times and Gaekwad six, though all of them were in or before 2023. Gaekwad probably prefers the opening slot, but the competition is simply too intense there.
Whoever becomes the No.4 in the first game is probably ahead in the race for the reserve batter’s spot in the squad once everyone is fit. Pant’s experience (and the fact that he keeps wicket) may tilt the balance in his favour.
Where is Axar?
When India toured Australia for three ODIs, Axar was part of the squad and Jadeja was not. It was understandable. As ODI bowlers, they are comparable, but Axar’s ability to hit spin boosted his value as a middle-overs floater. Now, that has flipped: Jadeja has replaced Axar.
Axar has been a vital cog in India’s ODI plans for some time. A late injury just ahead of the 2023 World Cup forced them to abandon their plans at the last minute and pick R Ashwin. Once Hardik Pandya got injured during the World Cup, their plans went for a toss, for they were left with a long tail and without a sixth bowler.
In the South Africa ODIs, Axar was expected to retain his place alongside Washington Sundar, especially in Hardik Pandya’s absence. The BCCI did not provide an explanation on why the selectors picked Jadeja ahead of Axar. Perhaps they want to rest him (which is unlikely, given that Jadeja is playing the second Test against South Africa and Axar is not). Perhaps they want to check every possible option. Perhaps, with the World Cup two years away, they want to ensure both men get match practice.
Reddy is not Pandya: Perhaps time to look elsewhere?
Fast bowlers who can bowl ten overs and bat in the top six have been extremely rare throughout the history of cricket. One cannot blame the BCCI for trying to find a replacement for the injury-prone Pandya: the lack of one has hurt them in the past. This is an important role, for Pandya can bowl with the new white ball as well as in the death. For a World Cup in South Africa, it is of utmost importance for India to find a similar cricketer.
While a fine talent, Reddy is not exactly Pandya. It is not a matter of quality. While Reddy bowls enough in domestic cricket, he does not at the highest level. He has, for example, bowled less than 10 overs a Test and under an over per IPL match. Even in List A cricket (almost entirely domestic) he bowls a shade above four overs.
While is a reasonably good batter, his bowling is not good enough for him to become Pandya’s like-for-like replacement. Perhaps it is time for India to cast the net a bit wider.
