Shubman Gill-Yashasvi Jaiswal duo sparks incredible ‘Tendulkar-Ganguly’ comparison after India’s T20I opening role

Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal succeeded the legendary duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the opening role in T20Is.

Earlier this month, India found a new opening pair in the T20Is in Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The duo has big shoes to fill, succeeding the star batting pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who opened in all of India’s matches in the side’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign last month. In the series against Sri Lanka, which concluded on Tuesday with India’s prolific 3-0 win, the duo of Gill and Jaiswal showed promise for the future.

India’s Shubman Gill, right, and Yashasvi Jaiswal bump fists during the first Twenty20 cricket match between Sri Lanka and India in Pallekele(AP)

The duo gave India an attacking start in the opening T20I, smashing 74 runs off the first six overs and providing the batting order enough cushion to keep the run-scoring momentum. They also enjoyed excellent outings during the two matches where they opened together during the series against Zimbabwe earlier this month, where Gill led the side.

Former India batter Robin Uthappa has now heaped significant praise on the young opening duo, drawing an enviable comparison to the legendary partnership of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar. Uthappa highlighted that Gill and Jaiswal’s chemistry and playing styles are reminiscent of the iconic pair, who remain the most successful opening combination in ODI history.

Ganguly and Tendulkar amassed an impressive 6609 runs in 136 innings as openers, maintaining an average of 49.32. They forged 21-century partnerships and 23 half-century stands, setting a high benchmark for opening pairs in cricket.

Uthappa noted that the way Gill and Jaiswal complement each other’s approach on the field brings back memories of the legendary duo, suggesting a bright future for the young openers.

“I do see them, when I look at them they remind me of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar going out together, where their games kind of complimented each other. Their strategies complimented each other, that’s what I see when I see these two go out to bat together,” said Uthappa on Sony Sports Network (via India Today).

“I honestly feel when he (Jaiswal) gets that opportunity in ODI cricket, he will seal that spot so quickly because after Test cricket and T20I cricket, ODI cricket is going to be so much easier for him. Because he will feel like I have all the time in the world to be able to score runs,” Uthappa further said.

While Jaiswal is not a part of India’s ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka, Shubman Gill, who retains his vice-captaincy in the fifty-over format, is set to reunite with skipper Rohit Sharma in the opening role.

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