India vs Afghanistan: Jaiswal joins Dube and Axar’s party in Indore, highlights Men in Blue’s plenty problem in T20Is

The spotlight was supposed to fall on the comeback pair Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the ongoing T20I series between India and Afghanistan, the two stalwarts representing their country in the shortest format for the first time in over a year. Instead, some of the relatively unfancied members of the side have become the toast of the nation after their standout performances in the ongoing series.

Rohit made his big return in Mohali, but ended up getting run out for a two-ball duck after miscommunication with Shubman Gill. Axar Patel and Shivam Dube would then lead with ball and bat respectively as the Men in Blue cruised to a six-wicket victory chasing 159 to win.

The second T20I against Afghanistan in Indore witnessed Kohli make his highly-anticipated return after missing out on the series opener due to personal reasons. The former India captain did impress during his 16-ball stay at the crease, during which he collected 29 runs at a frenetic pace that suggested he had changed his approach in the shortest format after all. Rohit, meanwhile, was once again dismissed for a duck, this time of his own fault rather than his batting partner’s.

Read | Rohit’s unique feat and other statistics from 2nd IND-AFG T20I

Once again it was those two, Axar with the ball and Dube with the bat, who starred to setup a series-clinching victory in front of a packed Holkar Stadium. India won by an identical six-wicket margin, but this victory was even more clinical as they had more than four overs to spare while chasing a higher target.

Axar would collect two wickets from his quota of four overs for a second game running, but would be even more miserly this time as he conceded just 17 runs compared to 23 in Mohali. It was a similar story for Dube, who scored three runs more than what he had managed in the first game to notch up his highest T20I score, and would remain unbeaten on both occasions.

Joining the party in Indore was young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had been benched in the opening match to accommodate the returning Rohit. The team management decided to alternate between their back-up opening combinations, giving Jaiswal an opportunity in the second T20I after Gill had collected a 12-ball 23 in the first game.

The Rajasthan Royals batter has been enjoying a near-uninterrupted run in Tests and T20Is since making his debut in the two formats on the tour of West Indies last year, such has been his impact at the international level. He had even toured Ireland as well as Hangzhou, China for the Asian Games with second-string teams, making the most of whatever opportunities came his way.

Rohit and Kohli’s return to the T20I side, however, has complicated things a bit for both Jaiswal and Gill as well as for other opening options such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, who now has been pushed further down the pecking order despite having impressed as an opener in recent outings. With just one more match left in the shortest format for the Indian team before the T20 World Cup later this year, Jaiswal needed to make the most of the opportunity if he was to stay ahead in the race to open alongside the ‘Hitman’ at the big event later this year.

Jaiswal didn’t just make the most of the opportunity on Sunday, he hit it out of the park — both literally and figuratively — with a knock of 68 that came off just 34 deliveries, his knock laden with five fours and six sixes. The first of those five boundaries came off the very first delivery when he steered a full, wide delivery from Fazalhaq Farooqi behind point to signal his intent from the outset of India’s chase.

Yashasvi Jaiswal leads the way with a classy fifty 💥

Watch the 2nd #INDvAFG T20I on #JioCinema, #Sports18 & ColorsCineplex.#IDFCFirstBankT20ITrophy #JioCinemaSports #GiantsMeetGameChangers pic.twitter.com/76HZdbQXNH

— Sports18 (@Sports18) January 14, 2024

Things got a little complicated for him after Rohit was cleaned up by the left-arm pacer in the same over, resulting in India getting off to yet another shaky start in a run chase against the Afghans. Both Jaiswal and Kohli, however, would quickly extinguish whatever little pressure the Afghans were starting to build after that early wicket.

Read | Ibrahim Zadran laments another sub-par total by Afghanistan

Kohli would greet Mujeeb Ur Rahman with a couple of boundaries after the off-spinner was introduced in the second over while Jaiswal smashed Farooqi for two towering sixes in a space of four deliveries the next time he was on strike, resulting in the Indians racing to 32/1 inside three overs.

What made things even worse for the Afghan Atalan was Farooqi spilling a catch off his own bowling in his follow-through between those two maximums, resulting in Jaiswal getting a lifeline on 13. And how costly would then prove for the visiting team, with the southpaw going on to add another 55 runs off the next 25 deliveries.

Jaiswal would collect a hat-trick of fours off Mujeeb two overs later, showing impressive adjustment to his varying lengths. His approach wouldn’t change even as Kohli was dismissed off Naveen-ul-Haq’s bowling while playing a shot too many. India ended up racing to 69/2 at the end of the powerplay, giving No 4 batter Shivam Dube some room to settle down for a bit and before launching his slog-a-thon that would eventually guide the team home.

Three exquisite boundaries by @ybj_19 off Mujeeb’s bowling 💥💥💥

Watch 👇#INDvAFG @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/uAPT2U5ng1

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 14, 2024

Jaiswal, meanwhile, would continue showing fearlessness at the centre, dancing down the track the first time he faced Mohammad Nabi to smash the senior all-rounder for a straight six. He would bring up his half-century in just 27 deliveries before clobbering Noor for two sixes and a four in an 18-run 11th over. India were within sight of the finish line around the time Dube brought up his half-century in just 22 deliveries, and Jaiswal would have hoped to guide his team home to cap off a remarkable performance.

That however, was not to be as he would get caught-behind off Karim Janat’s bowling, getting cramped for room by a length ball outside off. Jaiswal, however, had done exactly what he had been instructed by the team leadership, and then some more, and might just have cemented his place at the top of the order in the process.

“We have been clear with what we wanted to do, very clear message to everyone and when you see a performance like that, you can be really proud. One thing is talking about it, but to actually go there and play that way is a proud feeling.

“Jaiswal has played Test cricket now and even T20I. He has shown what he is capable of. He has the talent and has a great range of shots. Dube is a big guy, very powerful and can take on the spinners. That is his role and he has come out and played two crucial innings for us,” skipper Rohit said during the post-match presentation, lavishing praise on the two individuals who played a central role in the successful run chase.

It certainly does speak volumes when a player of Gill’s calibre ends up warming the bench. The Gujarat Titans opener, after all, had been in roaring form across formats last year, in which he finished as the leading run-scorer in ODIs ahead of Kohli. That he isn’t a certainty for the opener’s slot in the shortest format in a World Cup year, however, shows just how much talent the Men in Blue have at their disposal at the moment. It’s a similar situation in the middle order where Dube will likely end up vacating his spot once Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are back in action.

Jaiswal’s masterclass thus not only is indicative of another India unearthing yet another batter who has the potential to be a star in all formats of the game, it highlights a problem of plenty that the Men in Blue have heading into another major tournament. A problem that skipper Rohit and coach Rahul Dravid wouldn’t mind though.

India vs Afghanistan: Jaiswal joins Dube and Axar’s party in Indore, highlights Men in Blue’s plenty problem in T20IsRead More