How India can replace Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in T20Is

The Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup triumph was followed by some shocking announcements as the veteran Indian trio of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja announced that they would be retiring from the shortest format of international cricket . The trio have enjoyed an illustrious career for India in T20Is and now bid goodbye with a fitting end.

Their exits pave the way for the younger and newer generation of cricketers. The biggest question, however, remains as to who will fill the void of Kohli, Rohit and Jadeja, and whether those candidates would be able to live up to the expectations.

Also read | Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma join MS Dhoni in exclusive club after 2024 T20 World Cup triumph

Let’s now take a look at potential players who could replace Kohli, Rohit and Jadeja in the India T20I team:

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Possible replacements for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

Yashasvi Jaiswal

It’s no secret that Yashasvi Jaiswal has all the potential to become one of India’s most explosive openers. The 22-year-old is an explosive batter who takes on the opposition at will in the powerplay. He has shown that in matches against South Africa last year and against Afghanistan earlier this year with some ruthless attacking intent. Particularly against Afghanistan in Indore, where he punished the likes of Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Jaiswal’s inclusion as an opener would also mean a potential left-right opening combination, with Shubman Gill very likely to be his partner.

Ruturaj Gaikwad

While Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal seem like automatic options to seal the two openers’ spot, one cannot forget Ruturaj Gaikwad. The Chennai Super Kings captain may not have had the best of statistics in T20Is, with just 500 runs from 17 innings, but he does know a thing or two about getting off to steady and solid starts.

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Whenever he opens the innings, Gaikwad tends to tread a bit cautiously in the initial overs before accelerating and setting a platform for his team. Which means he has a more balanced approach when compared to someone like Jaiswal. We have witnessed such knocks from Gaikwad in the IPL, particularly against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first game where he scored run-a-ball for 15. But he recovered later in the tournament and scored some big knocks. Having said that, if the team management is looking at a more aggressive opener, then the 27-year-old might be at a disadvantage.

Ishan Kishan

He may not be on selectors’ radar at the moment, but Ishan Kishan does offer yet another left-right combination if needed. Kishan can be considered as an extra wicket-keeping option in case of an injury to Rishabh Pant, who is the No 1 choice for the wicket-keeper’s slot.

However, it remains to be seen how Kishan will make it back into the India squad given the fact that he is absent from India’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Abhishek Sharma

Probably no one would be able to do what Virat Kohli has done in T20Is for India, but young Abhishek Sharma has shown some promising signs that he could be a worthy option at the top order.

The 23-year-old took the IPL by storm with Sunrisers Hyderabad this year and forged formidable partnerships with Travis Head for the opening wicket every now and then. So much so that, the term “Travishek” eventually became a thing.

Abhishek, who can also bowl left-arm orthodox spin, is a part of the India squad for the Zimbabwe series, so that will provide him an opportunity to set the stage alight in T20I cricket.

Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill’s inclusion in the playing XI for T20Is is a no-brainer and he will all but seal one of the openers’ spot now that both Kohli and Rohit have retired. He will be leading the India side in the series against Zimbabwe that starts on 6 July and will be looking to make an impression, more so after being relegated to the travelling reserves at the just-concluded T20 World Cup.

Possible replacements for Ravindra Jadeja

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar is a reliable all-rounder who is equally effective with both bat and ball. Like Abhishek, Washington gives an extra spin option. The 24-year-old has also had immense experience of playing T20Is, having picked up 34 wickets from 43 matches. Although he may not be that effective with the bat, the Chennai-born cricketer can still spring a few surprises, just like he did with a half-century against New Zealand in Ranchi in 2023.

Krunal Pandya

Krunal Pandya may not be a Team India regular of late, and it remains to be seen if he will get his opportunity in the near future. But, one can always keep options open and one of them to replace Ravindra Jadeja could be the 33-year-old all-rounder.

Pandya, after all, could be a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja should he make an India comeback anytime soon. Like Jadeja, Krunal is a slow left-arm orthodox spinner. He has the ability to strike both with the new ball as well as in the middle overs, which means he’s a versatile bowler. Moreover, he is an experienced campaigner in T20s, having played close to 200 T20s and scored over 2700 runs while also taking 137 wickets.

Rahul Tewatia

There’s no need for an introduction to Rahul Tewatia. We’ve seen several times what he has done with both bat and ball for Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans. His contributions have largely been with the bat, but he is effective with his leg-spin bowling which could come in handy for the Men in Blue.

Having said that, Tewatia’s no-holds-barred approach can make him the perfect replacement for Jadeja among the players on this list. He’s got that fearless approach while batting, and the ability to strike at regular intervals in T20s, although the numbers (69 wickets from 92 innings) may not do much justice to it.