Gautam Gambhir's Big Statement On World Cup 2027 Team

India's nine-wicket win over South Africa in the deciding ODI not only sealed the series but also highlighted the impact of non-regulars Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose centuries backed Virat Kohli's Player of the Series show in the India vs South Africa ODI series.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir, however, refused to look too far ahead when asked whether Gaikwad and Jaiswal could be part of India's 2027 ODI World Cup plans after the India vs South Africa ODI series, stressing that long-term projections were not his focus at this stage.

India vs South Africa ODI series: Gambhir's view on 2027 World Cup talk

"Look, first we have got to realise that ODI World Cup is two years away from now. The most important think is to stay in the present," he said at the press conference after India's nine-wicket win over South Africa in the deciding ODI in Visakhapatnam.

Gambhir explained that performances in the India vs South Africa ODI series mattered more than early World Cup debates. "It's also important that young boys coming into the set-up are grabbing their opportunities," Gambhir said, pointing to how the current environment rewarded players who delivered immediately for India.

India vs South Africa ODI series: Centuries from Gaikwad and Jaiswal

Gaikwad and Jaiswal only entered the XI in the India vs South Africa ODI series because Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer were injured, yet both made strong cases. Gaikwad hit 105 off 83 balls in Raipur's second ODI, while Jaiswal struck an unbeaten 116 in the series decider.

Gambhir highlighted that Gaikwad's hundred in the India vs South Africa ODI series came in a pressure situation. "Someone like Ruturaj Gaikwad, who batted out of position. He is a quality player, we all know. We wanted to give him an opportunity in this series for the kind of form he was in with India A. He actually grabbed that opportunity with both hands, getting a hundred in the second game, when we were under pressure. We were 40 for 2 and then getting that kind of hundred was proper quality," he added.

On Jaiswal's first ODI ton, also in the India vs South Africa ODI series, Gambhir underlined the potential. "Yashasvi as well. We have seen how much quality he has. What he does in Test cricket. Obviously, it just the start of his career, especially in white-ball cricket. Hopefully, he has a massive future ahead, and so is the case with Ruturaj," the head coach said.