'See them in Blue at the top of the order...': Tom Moody backs this pair to open for India

Tom Moody has spotted two young talents from the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) who could serve the senior Indian side for a long time to come. The former Australian allrounder and renowned coach believes this duo can be India's successful opening pair in future across all three formats at the international stage. 

One of those rising young turks is already there in the form of the prodigiously talented Shubman Gill, the Punjab and Gujarat Titans (GT) right-hander, who has retained a dominating streak about him this year for India and in IPL 2023 for the defending champions. 

Moody reckons the player set to join Gill at the top of the order for India and reign equally supreme at the highest level could be Mumbai and Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who, too, has been on an unprecedented high with the bat in the premier T20 tournament this summer. 

The ex Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) coach is backing the Gill-Jaiswal duo to shine consistently at the top for India and provide the senior team brilliant starts across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Both the players have been identified as the horses for the long haul by the Aussie expert, showing ability and range that could stand the test of time. 

Moody backs Gill-Jaiswal to open for India across formats 

Both Gill and Jaiswal have been the stand-out young performers of the IPL 2023. Gill, who recorded an exceptional century in the Titans' win over Moody's ex franchise SRH on Monday (May 15) night, now has an IPL 2023 tally of whopping 576 runs in 13 innings at an impressive average of 48 while carrying a spectacular strike-rate of 146.19. 

Jaiswal stands behind Gill in the tally of runs by a whisker. The stoic left-hander, who has raised his powerhitting game to another pedestal this season for the Royals, has made an eye-catching 575 runs in his 13 innings at a wonderful 47.92 apiece with rate of scoring in excess of 166. 

Watching Gill bat in full flow through his terrific 101 off 58 deliveries on Monday night after having witnessed Jaiswal go about his business with similar command on the crease, Moody took to Twitter to praise the two young cricketers and backed their Indian team prospects, specifically seeing in them an impregnable opening pair with a "bright future" across formats. 

Gill has been on an incredible rise for India since being given a place of incumbency and role clarity at the top. He could be joined soon at the top by Jaiswal, who may enter the senior set-up initially as a backup opener after this IPL.