Yashasvi Jaiswal’s exclusion from India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan has prompted discussion, especially given his strong record in limited opportunities. Jaiswal’s last ODI appearance came against South Africa, where he scored an unbeaten 116 and helped India win the match. That innings came in only his fourth ODI, and he had played because Shubman Gill was unavailable. Once Gill returned, Jaiswal lost his place and has not been included in the current squad, with the series starting on June 13.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar referred to Jaiswal while answering questions about young talent such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, noting that Jaiswal has also performed well. However, his omission from both the senior ODI squad and the India A team for the Sri Lanka A series has raised questions about how India plans to keep him involved in white-ball cricket.
Former India chief selector MSK Prasad said Jaiswal should have been included in the India A squad at the very least, arguing that even if Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are ahead of him in the senior pecking order, he should still be playing competitive cricket instead of remaining at home. Prasad described Jaiswal as a rare all-format cricketer and said setbacks like this are part of the game, comparing the situation to Shreyas Iyer’s earlier struggles to find a place despite strong domestic performances. He said Jaiswal is mentally strong enough to handle the omission and come back better.
Jaiswal’s ODI record remains limited but promising, and his wait for another appearance may continue. India’s next ODI assignment after Afghanistan will be a three-match series against England in July, and with Ishan Kishan returning as both wicketkeeper option and backup opener, the path back into the side is uncertain. Jaiswal has now gone nearly five months without an ODI appearance.
His longer absence from T20I cricket has been even more striking. Jaiswal last played a T20I on July 30, 2024, against Sri Lanka, and his last of 23 T20I matches came nearly 22 months after India’s 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal loss to England, which triggered a shift toward a more aggressive powerplay approach. Jaiswal was central to that transformation, posting a T20I strike rate of 164.31 and helping India bat with intent from the start rather than waiting to accelerate late.
Despite that impact, Jaiswal was left out of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad so that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could open the batting. Since then, under Gautam Gambhir’s setup, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have moved ahead of him in the T20I hierarchy. While his form and strike rate have remained strong, Jaiswal has gradually slipped out of the white-ball picture.
According to the report, team management wants more left-hand options in the lineup, a strategy that has worked well in T20Is and during India’s Champions Trophy success, when Axar Patel was used as a flexible No. 5 batter. Even so, the article argues that Jaiswal should be seen not only as a future prospect but as a present-day option for India. At 24, he has already proven himself in Tests and shown enough quality in limited-overs cricket to merit a longer run in the ODI side, with an eye on the 2027 World Cup.
