New Delhi: Yashasvi Jaiswal’s most recent ODI for India ended with a stunning, unbeaten 116 against South Africa—an innings that effectively decided the contest. It came in only his fourth ODI appearance, and he was handed the role because captain Shubman Gill was unavailable due to fitness concerns. Once Gill returned to the XI, Jaiswal slipped back to the sidelines, and he has now been left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which begins on June 13.
Jaiswal’s exclusion has not sparked much public uproar, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar did reference the batter when he was asked about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Agarkar said, “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has performed well, but we should also remember Yashasvi Jaiswal. However impressive he is, Jaiswal has also been doing well.”
Agarkar had brought up Jaiswal during an earlier media interaction as well, and that naturally raises a question: if Jaiswal was not included in the senior ODI group, why was he left out of the India A team that will tour Sri Lanka under Tilak Varma’s captaincy? The view from former chief selector MSK Prasad is that missing out on the senior call-up may be bad luck, but at the very least, he should have been part of the A side to keep his white-ball rhythm sharp ahead of the next opportunity.
Prasad argued, “He should have been picked for the India A squad. It is unfortunate. With Rohit (Sharma) and Shubman (Gill) there, you can understand he might not get game time, but he still ought to have gone to Sri Lanka instead of sitting at home.”
Prasad also insisted that Jaiswal’s ability across formats is too valuable to be dismissed and believes the ODI door will open for him eventually. “He is such a good player that you cannot afford to keep him out of any format. This should not be treated as a disappointment. These things happen in cricket. When I was chairman of selectors, we couldn’t find a place for Shreyas Iyer even though he was doing exceptionally well in domestic cricket. Jaiswal is already a tough guy, and this will only make him tougher,” Prasad said.
Jaiswal’s latest ODI appearance came nearly five months ago. After the Afghanistan series, India are scheduled to host a three-match ODI series against England in July. With Ishan Kishan returning as the second wicketkeeper and also serving as a backup opener, it remains unclear when Jaiswal’s ODI wait with the Indian team will finally end.
Looking at his T20I timeline, the last of Jaiswal’s 23 appearances at that level dates back to about 22 months ago. Following the Adelaide disappointment in the semifinal of the 2022 T20 World Cup, one of the biggest changes in India’s T20 batting was their more aggressive approach during the powerplay—and Jaiswal played a central role in that shift. His T20I strike rate currently stands at 164.31.
During that period, Jaiswal helped steer India’s T20 thinking toward batting at full speed from the opening over, rather than waiting until the final five overs to accelerate—a strategy that had been a long-standing hallmark of the team.
With Rohit Sharma prioritising ODIs ahead of the 2023 World Cup and also focusing on Test cricket, Jaiswal thrived in T20Is. However, to accommodate both Rohit and Virat Kohli at the top of the order for the 2024 T20 World Cup, Jaiswal was left out of the entire tournament. After that, during Gautam Gambhir’s spell as coach, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson moved ahead of him in the pecking order.
Even if Jaiswal’s strike rate, intent, and overall impact in the IPL have not clearly slipped below the levels shown by Abhishek or Samson, his presence in India’s T20I plans has steadily faded. His most recent T20I game for India was on July 30, 2024, against Sri Lanka.
The team’s selection approach has also reportedly leaned toward adding more left-handers to the mix. That logic has worked previously in T20Is, and it was also seen during India’s Champions Trophy title run last year, when Axar Patel was used as a floating option at No. 5.
While Jaiswal’s ODI sample size is still smaller compared to established names, the argument remains that he brings the kind of influence, flair, and adaptability needed for India’s next phase in 50-over cricket. He has already proven himself as a Test opener with runs across varied conditions and different continents.
At 24, Jaiswal should be viewed as part of India’s present plans rather than only a future prospect. In the months ahead, India will need to carve out a clear role for him in the ODI setup and give him enough opportunities—potentially even if it requires moving around established senior players like Rohit Sharma, who may be willing to hand the baton to a “garden mein ghoomne wala ladka” for the next era at the top.
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