Virender Sehwag, a former Indian cricket star, has weighed in on the debate surrounding young batter Yashasvi Jaiswal's future in the game. Sehwag believes Jaiswal has the talent to excel in all three formats of the sport, despite his limited opportunities in white-ball cricket so far.
Jaiswal, a southpaw who has been a regular in the Test team, opening the batting with KL Rahul, has struggled to find a consistent place in India's white-ball squads. While he has played 23 T20Is and four ODIs, his opportunities have been limited due to the presence of established openers like Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma in the one-dayers, and Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson in the shortest format.
Sehwag acknowledges the challenge Jaiswal faces, stating, 'But there is no space right now. Shubman Gill is the captain (in ODIs). Rohit Sharma is playing. As soon as Rohit Sharma retires, you will see Jaiswal playing white-ball and one-day cricket as well.' He also mentions the potential competition from Ruturaj Gaikwad.
However, Sehwag is confident in Jaiswal's abilities, noting his impressive performance in the four ODIs he has played, where he scored 171 runs at an average of 57.00, with a best score of 116 not out. He argues that Jaiswal's inclusion in the ODI team was not a result of poor performance but rather a chance to fill a gap when other players were unavailable.
Sehwag also highlights the presence of Ishan Kishan as a potential rival for a spot in the ODI team, mentioning Kishan's double hundred in ODIs as a testament to his talent. He expresses his desire to see Jaiswal in all three formats, believing he has the skills to succeed in each.
The article concludes by mentioning Jaiswal and Kishan's inclusion in India's squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, leaving fans and experts alike eagerly awaiting the young batters' future contributions to the team.
