'Yashasvi and Gill should open the batting for India in T20s'

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes young batting stars Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill should open the batting for India in T20 cricket, while Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma also deserve the national call-up in the shortest format.

Rajasthan Royals Opener Jaiswal smashed his way to 625 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 163 -- the most runs by an uncapped player in a single season of the IPL, while Gill looks set to finish as the highest run-getter in IPL 2023, having scored 722 runs in 15 matches, including two centuries in a row.

Emphasising the importance of nurturing youth and building a dynamic team under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan, who was part of India's T20 World Cup winning team in 2007, told Star Sports: 'If we are talking about batsmen, then I can say that Shubhman Gill has the potential. Along with him, I think Yashasvi too has the potential to be the future of India.'

Harbhajan also believes that Gill has the potential to be India's captain in the future.

'Yashasvi is this year's most impressive player and in the years to come he will definitely play for Team India. Shubhman Gill will also be there, maybe he will be the captain as well. I'm talking about the future here.'

'And I also think that Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh will be there, so I'm making a squad for the future of the Indian team. They are all unbelievable talents.'

Bhajji called upon the BCCI to pick youngsters in the T20 team keeping in mind the T20 World Cup next year.

'If we look at the current form, and if we want to go in the direction of youth, then Yashasvi is the best option available. When we lost the T20 World Cup in Dubai (in 2021), then there was much speculation that we should build a team around youngsters.'

'Without saying anyone's name on who should be left out of the squad, I think Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Shubhman Gill, under Hardik Pandya's captaincy, there should be a new team all together.'

'Hardik should be captain, and Yashasvi and Gill should open the batting, along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma and Nitish Rana, then this team will have a lot of potential.'

• IPL 2023