“2 slots are vacant in front of you” – Saba Karim on Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill as potential replacements for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

Former Indian wicket-keeper Saba Karim feels it is crucial for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill to grab their opportunities with both hands after veterans like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have announced their T20I retirement. The young batting duo added a fine opening alliance of 156 runs in the fourth T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, Harare on Saturday.

While Jaiswal scored an attacking knock of 93 runs off just 53 balls, Gill continued his rich form, scoring 58 off 39 balls. Gill is the leading run-getter of the series with 157 runs in four matches whereas Jaiswal has scored 129 runs in two games.

Meanwhile, the competition for the opening slots is intense as India has openers like Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhishek Sharma. Sharma had scored a 47-ball 100 against Zimbabwe in the second T20I of the series.

“This young team carried forward the brand of cricket India are playing in T20Is these days and that is why this is great news for the Indian team and the selectors. The performance has been as per the thinking this young team was sent to Zimbabwe. Although India lost the first match, they have staged a comeback after that,” Saba Karim said on Sony Sports.

“Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill’s unbroken match-winning partnership, right and left-handed combination, which we have been repeatedly talking about. Two slots are vacant in front of you. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli won’t be seen in T20Is now. For that, I feel these two players are ready,” the former India wicketkeeper-batter added.

“There are many other contenders as well. The selectors have to do that job but these players have done what was in their control. They had to win the match and the series and dominate like this in batting, which the Indian team did,” he observed.

The former Indian selector wants the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel to back Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill for the T20I series against Sri Lanka.

“The most important positions will be in the top order only. I feel the selectors should go with these two (Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill) only. I feel Abhishek Sharma should get a place at least in the 15 because you have Rishabh Pant at No. 3 and Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4,” he elaborated on the same network.

Karim added that the selection will also depend on who the captain is in T20Is after Rohit Sharma’s retirement.

“It also depends on who is the captain in T20Is. Gautam Gambhir is the head coach, so what is the thinking of the captain and head coach, and how they want to take the team forward. They will have to select players accordingly. Ruturaj Gaikwad is also there. So many players are staking a claim in the top order,” Saba Karim stated.