Abhishek Sharma's ton in vain as Yashasvi Jaiswal set to eat his place in India 11 vs Zimbabwe in 3rd T20I claims..

Abhishek Sharma's explosive century in the second T20I against Zimbabwe has sparked a debate about his position as an opener in the Indian cricket team. Despite his blistering ton, Andy Flower believes that Sharma hasn't yet cemented his place at the top of the order in India’s T20I team.

Notably, Abhishek’s 100 off 47 deliveries in Harare was instrumental in Team India setting a formidable 235-run target, which the tourists defended successfully to secure a comprehensive 100-run victory to level the ongoing five-match T20I series at 1-1-1 against Zimbabwe.

Abhishek Sharma yet to cement opener spot in Indian T20I team: Andy Flower

The left-handed batter has seemingly secured his spot for the third T20I with his scintillating knock during India’s big win over Zimbabwe in the second T20I in Harare on June 7.

On the other hand, Ruturaj Gaikwad's consistent form further complicates the selection dilemma, leaving no room for Yashasvi Jaiswal in the playing XI for the remainder of the three T20Is on the Zimbabwe tour.

With Shubman Gill leading the side, it's unlikely he'll take a break, which means Jaiswal will have to wait for his opportunity. However, Flower, the former Zimbabwe captain and current RCB head coach, expressed confidence that Jaiswal would be making his way into India’s playing XI for the remaining three games of the ongoing five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe.

The RCB head coach believes that it is highly unlikely that Jaiswal will remain on the sidelines for long despite being part of India's victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. Furthermore, Flower praised the Indian cricket team management for their strong bench strength, emphasizing the challenge they face in accommodating Jaiswal.

However, he feels Abhishek deserves more chances with the national team, given his stellar IPL 2024 season, as it will boost the 23-year-old batting all-rounder’s confidence and help him perform better in the future.

Andy Flower backs Yashasvi Jaiswal's return to the playing XI amid India's T20I selection challenges

Andy Flower was quoted as saying by Sony Sports: “Well, we have got Jaiswal still coming into the series, haven't we? So that sort of competition is exactly what the Indian selectors and all the Indian followers are looking for. It makes it really interesting and it's great for the Indian game if they have got lots of options like that.”

Flower added, “He should be confident at the moment coming off such a great IPL and then getting a hundred in his second international match. So, what a great start. It's really important to get those runs as a young player because confidence and self-belief are so important to your chance of doing well. So, I am very happy for him and I am looking forward to seeing more of him in this series.”

Apart from Jaiswal, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and all-rounder Shivam Dube will also join the India squad in Harare ahead of the third T20I on July 10. Both Sanju and Dube are expected to feature in the playing XI, as they were also part of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup. They recently left for Harare after the World Cup celebrations in Delhi and Mumbai.