Swashbuckling opener Yashasvi Jaiswal announced his arrival in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 with a brisk century, strengthening his case for a comeback to the India T20I squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 just as pressure continues to mount on vice-captain Shubman Gill at the top.
The Mumbai opener lit up the chase against Haryana, racing to his century off just 48 balls, taking a defeat out of the equation. He was dismissed on 101 off 50 deliveries at a strike rate of 202, laced with 16 fours and a six, causing all the damage. He received impressive support from Sarfaraz Khan, who is currently auditioning for the IPL 2026 auction. Riding on Jaiswal’s ton and Sarfaraz’s fifty, the defending champions secured a commanding five-wicket win with 15 balls to spare. These marked their first win in the Super League phase after a disappointing defeat against Hyderabad on Friday.
Jaiswal was named Player of the Match for his exceptional outing with the willow. However, after winning the Player-of-the-Match award, the southpaw batter called up Sarfaraz and shared it with him.
Earlier, Ankit Kumar blasted 89 off just 42 balls, while youngster Nishant Sindhu supported him perfectly, smashing a quickfire fifty (63 off 38 deliveries) as Mumbai’s bowlers took a pounding across phases. All-rounder Sairaj B Patil was the only bowler to take a wicket.
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While Yashasvi Jaiswal followed up his maiden ODI hundred with a rapid ton in SMAT 2025-26, Gill has been struggling with form in T20Is, failing to convert his starts. His constant failures are drawing criticism for his modest returns and strike rate in the format at the international level.
Since his return to the T20I setup, Gill has endured mixed results. In the last 14 T20Is, Gill has managed just 253 runs at an average of 23.90 at a strike rate of 142.93 and has failed to hit a single fifty. Before Gill, Sanju Samson had made the spot his own for a year, hitting three centuries, but was sidelined after the 26-year-old’s comeback. His last two scores in T20Is against South Africa read 4 and 0, having lasted just three balls.
With competition for the opener spot intensifying, including Sanju Samson waiting for his opportunity, India may be tempted to look for options, considering the T20 World Cup 2026 is just a few days away. Gill’s inconsistent run has opened the door for Jaiswal, who can make a dangerous pair with ultra-aggressive Abhishek Sharma.
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