Not Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson! Sanjay Bangar reveals India's next Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma

Former cricketer Sanjay Bangar has opened up about who could be Team India's next Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the future, especially in white-ball cricket. Sanjay Bangar stated that players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal could fill roles similar to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the India cricket team.

The India national cricket team is currently undergoing a transition with senior players in the twilight period. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20 internationals following the T20 World Cup 2024. Kohli and Rohit played a crucial role in India’s victory during last year’s tournament.

They Are the New Generation Trendsetters for the Indian Team - Sanjay Bangar

Speaking in the latest Deep Point episode on Star Sports, Sanjay Bangar shared his thoughts on who could take over the roles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the future. He pointed out that Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are key figures for the next generation, adding that they are around the same age.

"They bat at the top of the order. They get the most balls. They're in the same age group as Rohit and Virat in 2013. They're 36-37 years old. So, they must be around the same age," Sanjay Bangar told Star Sports.

"Yashaswi Jaiswal is a bit younger. Shubman is a bit older. But the gap is one year and two years. And both of them have made a great start in international cricket. So, I think they are the new generation trendsetters for the Indian team," Sanjay Bangar added.

Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal were not part of the Indian team for the ongoing five-match T20I series against England at home. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team secured victories in the first two matches and took a 2-0 unassailable lead. They will be hoping to win the next match and seal the series.

India's Disappointing 3-1 Loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Yashasvi Jaiswal was one of the few positives for India during their disappointing 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The left-handed batter scored 391 runs in five Tests at an average of 43.44, including one century and two fifties. He opened the batting with KL Rahul in four of the five Tests.

On the other hand, Shubman Gill had a tough series, managing just 93 runs across five innings without scoring a half-century. The right-handed batter hasn't scored a half-century since his 110 against Bangladesh in December 2022. However, he did hit a century against them at home in September last year.

Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal Included in India Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

On January 18, Team India announced their 15-member provisional squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Shubman Gill was named as his deputy, and Yashasvi Jaiswal was selected as the third opening option.

Gill's ODI record is impressive, with 2,328 runs in 47 matches at an average of 58.20, including six centuries and 13 fifties. However, he struggled in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka, scoring 16, 35, and 6 in the three matches.

Jaiswal, who is yet to make his ODI debut for India, has made a mark in Tests and T20Is, scoring 1,798 runs from 19 Tests and 723 runs from 23 T20Is.

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