Why Ruturaj Gaikwad Not Opening Today in IND vs SA 1st ODI?

The IND vs SA 1st ODI will mark the start of an enthralling series, especially for fans looking to catch a glimpse of their favourite Indian stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The spotlight was on the India opening combination; the team management faced a challenging decision in choosing Rohit’s partner at the top. The Indian management had a tough selection call for this series to decide which batter would open alongside Rohit.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s recent run of form in domestic cricket and for India A has pushed him firmly back into contention, and the team management may view him as a reliable option to partner Rohit Sharma, especially with a few marquee players missing from the lineup, but he will be playing at No.4.

In contrast, Yashasvi Jaiswal has explosive potential, and opening in this match will add to his limited exposure in the ODI format, where he is still building his name in this setup, allowing the selectors to hand him an opening slot. Moreover, a left–right opening pair or the need for an aggressive starter has worked in Jaiswal’s favour.

Who are India Opener in IND vs SA 1st ODI?

Former skipper Rohit Sharma is set to resume his role at the top of the order, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is going to open alongside him. Rohit enters this match on the verge of two major personal achievements: he is closing in on the 20,000-run milestone across formats, a feat only three other Indians have managed, and he is just a few big hits away from overtaking the all-time ODI sixes record.

Interestingly, the JSCA Stadium holds a special place in Rohit Sharma’s journey. It was here in 2013 that he was trusted with the role of a permanent opener. Now, more than ten years later, the 37-year-old returns to Ranchi under very different circumstances, as India look to recover following their defeat in the home Test series.

Jaiswal, meanwhile, offers exactly the kind of player India looks for during the Powerplay. His left-handed approach allows him to put pressure on bowlers straightaway, making him an ideal partner to complement Rohit.

In the middle order, India is expected to turn to Ruturaj Gaikwad in the absence of Shreyas Iyer. Gaikwad’s strong performances in recent India A fixtures make him a decent replacement for the No.4 slot. Ruturaj Gaikwad opening the batting, must have been considered by the team management, but keeping in mind Yashasvi's splendid results as an opener tilted the decision in his favour.

List of Records Rohit Sharma Might Break During IND vs SA 1st ODI

Rohit Sharma enters the Ranchi ODI with multiple major records within striking distance. The biggest milestone he is approaching is the 20,000-run mark in international cricket, a figure that only three Indians have ever crossed.

Another high-profile landmark he could claim is the record for the most sixes in ODI history. Currently, he is just two hits away from Shahid Afridi’s long-standing tally of 351 sixes; Rohit needs only a few clean hits to move past him.

Apart from these major achievements, Rohit also has a chance to achieve a few other milestones. If Rohit manages to score a hundred in the opening ODI, he will move past Sachin Tendulkar, who was the best batsman in the world for the most international centuries by an Indian opener. At the moment, both he and Tendulkar are tied on 45 tons while opening the innings. Among all openers worldwide, only Australia’s David Warner is ahead of Rohit on this list with 49 centuries.

Across formats, Rohit has cleared the ropes 58 times in 55 international matches against South Africa. If he manages seven more in this ODI, he will surpass David Warner, who was among the best opener in the world, to claim the record for the most sixes hit against the Proteas. Rohit has already struck the most sixes versus Australia (138), Sri Lanka (86) and the West Indies (88).