Rohit Sharma is set to open the innings in the first ODI against South Africa, but the question on everyone’s mind is who will partner him at the top of the order. With regular opener Shubman Gill ruled out due to injury, India faces a crucial decision between talented young contenders like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener?
Yashasvi Jaiswal emerges as a strong favorite to open alongside Rohit, backed by former players like Aakash Chopra and Irfan Pathan, who believe Jaiswal’s left-handed style and experience opening in various formats make him the ideal partner. Jaiswal has been waiting for this opportunity and is expected to make the most of it in the match in Ranchi on November 30, 2025.
Jaiswal stats in Domestic ODIs
Here is a table showing Yashasvi Jaiswal’s batting statistics in the Vijay Hazare Trophy:
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike-rate | Highest score |
| 9 | 508 | 63.50 | 113.14 | 203 |
- Jaiswal scored a double century (203 runs) in one of the matches, hitting 17 fours and 12 sixes.
- His strike rate was 113.14 with a total of 29 sixes, the most in the tournament.
- These impressive numbers helped his team perform well in the tournament.
Ruturaj as an opener?
Ruturaj Gaikwad is also currently one of the leading contenders to open the innings with Rohit Sharma in India’s ODI series against South Africa. He has been in excellent recent form, scoring a century and a big 150-plus against South Africa A, along with strong performances in domestic tournaments like the Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike-rate | Highest score |
| 59 | 2814 | – | – | – |
The series promises to be exciting as India fine-tunes its squad with new combinations, especially with the absence of Shubman Gill and the leadership of KL Rahul. The opening combination will be closely watched as the team seeks a winning start against a strong South African side.
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