Gambhir's straight answer to the question about young players!

After India’s ODI series win against South Africa, much of the attention was on Virat Kohli’s Player of the Series performance. Yet, young talents Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal also stood out with brilliant centuries. Gaikwad scored 105 under pressure in Raipur, while Jaiswal delivered a match-winning unbeaten 116 in the decider. Since both players featured only due to injuries to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, questions arose about whether they would be considered for India’s 2027 ODI World Cup squad. When asked, head coach Gautam Gambhir firmly dismissed long-term speculation, saying, “The ODI World Cup is still two years away. The most important thing is to stay in the present.”

Gambhir praised both youngsters for making the most of their opportunities, highlighting Gaikwad’s composed century when India were struggling at 40/2 and Jaiswal’s natural talent across formats. He added that both players have “massive futures ahead” but stressed that selection for 2027 will depend on consistent performances and focusing on the present rather than future predictions. His message was clear—perform now, and the future will take care of itself.