India's World Cup Winner Questions BCCI Over Yashasvi Jaiswal's ODI Omission

Yashasvi Jaiswal, India's Test regular, continues to stay on the sidelines when it comes to white-ball cricket. While a spot in T20I cricket has become a distant dream for him, especially with the inclusion of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the side, Jaiswal is also fighting to make it to India's ODI squad. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are India's current openers in the one-dayers, which means the southpaw is left with few opportunities when either of the openers misses out. Jaiswal has played only six ODIs for India, scoring runs at an average of 71.25 and a strike rate of 97.60. The 24-year-old has scored two centuries in the format. On Friday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) omitted Jaiswal from the ODI squad while announcing the team for the tour of New Zealand. The move made by the selectors has been questioned by many experts and former cricketers, and Irfan Pathan is one of them.

The former India all-rounder took to X and wrote, "Reason for Yashasvi Jaiswal not being there in the ODI squad?"

Reason for Yashasvi Jaisawal for not being there in the ODI squad?

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 16, 2026

India are set to play five T20Is, as many ODIs and two Test matches in New Zealand.

Jaiswal focusses on developing wicketkeeping skills

In order to make it to India's white-ball squads, Jaiswal has now been working on his wicketkeeping skills. Pictures of the player donning the wicketkeeping gloves ahead of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 had earlier gone viral on social media. Later, Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad revealed that Jaiswal has been working on wicketkeeping as a backup skill to batting and leg-spin.

Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad, who also played for India as a wicketkeeper, has advised the player not to get into such roles. He highlighted the need for a "natural instinct" in a player to become a wicketkeeper.

Meanwhile, ex-India opener and Mumbai batting legend Wasim Jaffer questioned Jaiswal's decision to take up the wicketkeeping role at the age of 24, saying the Test opener should instead focus on his batting.

"I myself was surprised when I heard this. It is very difficult if you have not kept wickets since childhood. First of all, it is a very demanding job. Apart from that, where is that place even if he starts? There are Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Rishabh Pant. I am sure he wants to do it in white-ball cricket," Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.

"It is very difficult in Test cricket. But I feel this is a bit of a joke because wicketkeeping is not an easy task if you have not done it since childhood. It is not an easy skill that you can develop very quickly," Jaffer added.

(With agency inputs)

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