ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Former players weigh in on Yashasvi Jaiswal to be Rohit Sharma’s opening partner for India

Amid the buzz around India's squad announcement for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan have weighed in on Yashasvi Jaiswal over Shubman Gill to be India's opener alongside Rohit Sharma in the mega event starting next month. The Indian squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 was expected to be announced by January 12, but it will now be named around January 18-19.

Shubman Gill, who bats at no.3 in Tests, has been opening for India since the ODI World Cup 2023. In 2024, India played just three ODIs with Gill opening the batting in all of them. On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal, is yet to make his debut in ODIs for India. The southpaw, in Tests and T20Is has made a strong statement for himself with already five hundreds across the two formats, with the latest coming against Australia in Perth.

Gavaskar, who has seen Jaiswal's batting from close quarters in Australia, felt that the Rajasthan Royals opener could bring in that x-factor at the top of the order for India.

"Who wants to be an Indian selector. For me, the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal because he brings that left-handedness. One of the biggest plusses or minuses, depending on which way you look at it, is the fact that there will be white balls," Gavaskar told Star Sports.

The 75-year-old also explained his reason behind picking Jaiswal as Rohit's partner. "So what is a great delivery for a right-hander becomes a wide down the leg side for a left-hander, which means an extra run and an extra ball.

“So that left and right-hand combination even in the middle, with Rishabh Pant around, all these things will make a big difference,” elaborated Gavaskar. Pathan, a former India all-rounder, also echoed Gavaskar in choosing Jaiswal over Gill.

“For a guy who has done so well in T20 cricket, a strike rate of 160, and has had a fantastic year, one of the best, in Test cricket as a youngster, he hasn't played ODI cricket. Imagine if both of them get going from both ends. It will be a nightmare for the bowlers,” said Pathan.

Jaiswal, Gill's recent form with bat

The weightage for Jaiswal over Gill comes from the former's recent performances in Australia. The left-hander amassed 391 runs in five Tests against Australia, including a hundred and two half-centuries.

On the other hand, Gill played three Tests, scoring 93 runs in total.