Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir believes Prithvi Shaw will open the innings for India in the T20I format if the selectors have started to look beyond Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both of these veteran batters haven’t played a single T20I for the national team after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2022.
Meanwhile, Rohit recently stated that he hasn’t yet given up on the T20I format and he will take a call on his future after the IPL whereas Virat Kohli was at his best in the T20I showpiece, scoring 296 runs in six matches.
With the ICC World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup on the cards, India has shifted their focus to Test and ODIs.
On the other hand, Prithvi Shaw has been in terrific form in the domestic circuit. The right-hander recently scored a gigantic knock of 383 runs in the Ranji Trophy match against Assam. Shaw was included in the T20I squad for the series against New Zealand but he didn’t get his chance in the first two matches.
Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports, “Surprised again. I feel you have got to give him an opportunity and you have to give him a longer rope, especially in the T20 format, because I see him opening the batting in 2024 if the selectors have started to look beyond Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.”
Gambhir admitted that Shubman Gill has done a good job in the ODI format but Shaw deserves his chance in the shortest version as his game is more suited to T20 cricket.
“Yes, Shubman Gill has done really well in the 50-over format, but if there is one player in this squad for whom T20 comes very naturally, it’s Prithvi Shaw and that’s his game.”
The former Delhi player added that Ishan Kishan and Prithvi Shaw can adopt an aggressive template as openers in the T20I format.
“You have to persist with Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan, and those guys can actually go out there and play with the template that we have spoken about for such a long time.”
Gambhir added he will have Axar Patel high in the pecking order if we talk about competition with other finger spinners such as Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja.
“Current form, there is no legacy in my book. I feel Axar Patel is the No. 1 option and the No. 2 option is Washington Sundar because both those guys have done really well in whatever opportunities they have got, especially Axar Patel. So for me, I think he is the No. 1 spinning all-rounder out of these three.”
The final T20I between India and New Zealand will take place on Wednesday in Ahmedabad.
