Jaiswal's century and Rohit's 79 power India to victory over Afghanistan
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his second ODI century (110 off 86 balls) and Rohit Sharma made a steady 79 off 69 balls as India comfortably chased down Afghanistan's total of 218 in the third ODI at Chepauk, Chennai, on Saturday. The 170-run opening partnership between Jaiswal and Rohit laid the foundation for the win.
Afghanistan's innings was built around captain Hashmatullah Shahidi's maiden ODI century (102), which lifted his team from a precarious 36 for 4 inside the first ten overs. Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna was the architect of Afghanistan's early collapse, using the bounce on the Chepauk pitch to claim a five-wicket haul, with the top three all caught at first slip by Rohit Sharma.
The match took place under the watch of national selectors, who are evaluating the squad for the upcoming ODI series against England. The competition for opening spots appears intense among Rohit, Jaiswal, and Ishan Kishan, who scored a century in the previous match. Kishan's wicketkeeping and ability to bat at various positions may give him an advantage, leaving Rohit and Jaiswal competing for the remaining opening slot.
Jaiswal set the tone for India's chase with aggressive strokeplay, particularly his cuts and pulls against Afghanistan's seamers. Rohit, who had faced scrutiny over his recent form, started cautiously but gradually found his rhythm, hitting boundaries and using the sweep shot effectively against spinner Rashid Khan. He reached his fifty with a trademark flick and looked set for a century before being caught at deep mid-wicket.
Jaiswal continued his aggressive approach, reaching his century off 86 balls with 10 boundaries and 4 sixes. His innings demonstrated his ability to pace a chase, though questions remain about his consistency in ODI cricket. The selectors will need to decide whether to give him regular game time or persist with the experienced Rohit.
Both Jaiswal and Rohit acknowledged the contribution of Shahidi, whose century made the target more competitive. However, India's bowlers, led by Prasidh Krishna, had ensured that the total was within reach. The victory allowed India to end the series with a comprehensive performance.
