'Makes No Difference If He Doesn't Play': Ajinkya Rahane's Honest Remark On India Star

India defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the second ODI of the three-match series on Wednesday in Guwahati. It was a complete batting masterclass from the hosts as they chased down a target of 406 with 8.3 overs to spare. Skipper Shubman Gill was the chief architect of the victory, scoring an unbeaten 223 and helping India take an unassailable lead in the three-match series. Gill was not the only standout performer, as fellow opener Rohit Sharma also struck a century, underlining the strength of India's opening pair in ODIs.

With both Rohit and Gill in excellent form, it is highly likely that the hosts will retain the same opening combination for the third and final ODI on Saturday. This means young batter Yashasvi Jaiswal could once again find himself on the sidelines.

Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane believes the selectors should not rush Jaiswal into the playing XI merely to give him game time, as doing so could disrupt the team's winning combination. Rahane also stressed the importance of retaining Nitish Kumar Reddy in the playing XI, stating that he could play a crucial role for India at the 2027 ODI World Cup.

"I want to see 1 or 2 changes. Mohammed Siraj will mostly come in, and I want to see Nitish Kumar Reddy back as well. If he is in your World Cup plans, his role will be crucial, so it is important to give him confidence here. If Jaiswal doesn't play now, it makes no difference at all, because our batting is set. You need to set the all-rounder's slot," Ajinkya Rahane said on Cricbuzz.

Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who was part of the same discussion, suggested that India could make one or two changes to the side in order to test different combinations ahead of future assignments.

"First of all, there could be a forced change, Naman Dhir had an injury, so we don't know if he is going to be fit. I won't be surprised if one of the pacers gives way for Siraj to come in and play a game. Maybe Nitish Kumar Reddy gets back into the squad. Look, you can play whom you want, you've won the series," he said.

"Whether you want to fit in Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel for a game, or you can be just ruthless and win the series 3-0 and play the best possible XI. It's completely up to them. I wouldn't be surprised if there are 1-2 changes," he added.

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