TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: India may have already sealed the ODI series against Afghanistan, but the final game in Chennai is far from a dead rubber. For the team management, it is another opportunity to tick boxes on the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup, test combinations and, most importantly, ensure that every player in the squad gets a meaningful opportunity.One of those players is opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal.The left-hander endured a disappointing outing in the previous ODI, but India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate made it clear that one failure would not cost him his place. Jaiswal is set for another opportunity, a reflection of the management’s commitment to giving fringe players a proper run rather than judging them on a single innings.“We also want another look at Yashasvi Jaiswal. He didn’t get runs in the last game, so he’ll get another opportunity,” ten Doeschate said on the eve of the third ODI.The message from the Indian camp has been consistent. Winning remains the first priority, but so does building depth. That balancing act is evident in the likely changes for Friday’s game.Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who has impressed in the first two matches, is likely to be rested as part of workload management. The batting order, too, will undergo a reshuffle, with the top three set to remain the same. Between Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer one will miss out as both all-rounders Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are set to feature in the playing XI. “We will be making a few changes from the first two games. Part of the brief coming into the series was that we wanted to try a few different combinations and give everyone a fair share of games. Someone like Arshdeep has bowled very well in the first two games; he can probably take a rest tomorrow, and the same goes for one of the batters. We’ll swap them out and go back to playing a slightly different side,” he added. That flexibility has become one of India’s biggest strengths in white-ball cricket. Several batters are capable of occupying multiple positions, allowing the management to experiment without significantly weakening the side. The same philosophy extends to the all-rounders, where Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube are all being assessed for different roles.According to ten Doeschate, Nitish remains an important long-term investment.“Nitish has shown over the last 18 months how important he can become for this team. His body is getting stronger, and we see him as the natural backup to Hardik.”Yet the spotlight remains firmly on Jaiswal.Few players in Indian cricket have had to deal with such fierce competition for a place at the top of the order. With Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, opportunities have been limited for the southpaw. Ten Doeschate acknowledged the challenge of managing a squad overflowing with batting talent.“In a series like this against Afghanistan, you might say we can take the foot off the pedal a little bit, but yes, we do want to look at guys like Jaiswal. “He is someone who is waiting in the wings because of the quality and depth we have in that position. But I certainly get the feeling that the first priority is always to win the series and put your best team out. “One of the briefs going into this series was to make sure the squad was rotated and everyone played. So Jaiswal does get a few chances, and it’s incredibly tough because there is so much quality. But he’s one of those guys who, when he does get the odd chance, has to score runs.”That perhaps sums up India’s selection philosophy better than anything else. There is patience, but there is also intense competition. Players will get opportunities, but they will also be expected to seize them quickly. For Jaiswal, Chennai presents another audition. For India, it is another step towards identifying the combinations that could shape their campaign over the next 18 months.
