Jaiswal missed out on the Ireland match.
A ‘why not’ will visit the Indian dressing room sooner rather than later. It may be before or after the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan. And the think tank will have to address the issue in the best interests of the team, without going by reputations and names.
Does it make sense to leave Yashasvi Jaiswal on the bench? Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are greats no doubt, but at this point in time, can they be more effective than this youngster who is raring to go? Nobody can say ‘yes’ with conviction in their voice. Jaiswal is a serious talent India have invested in. So what does it mean to leave him out of the XI?
That the youngster brings something different to the table being a left-hander is just one argument in favour of his inclusion. If he forms a left-right opening combination with Rohit, it will make things a bit difficult for the bowlers, be they from Pakistan or wherever. The other point is he can cream boundaries in the first few overs and give the team a strong start in the Powerplay, which has been a problem for teams in the ongoing competition.
A natural striker of the ball who does not have to resort to violence in order to score at a brisk pace, that Jaiswal will become a headache for bowlers the world over is the popular perception. Experts are undivided about this. In his brief international career, he has done everything to corroborate this notion. He does not have to make a lot of visible effort to hit the ball. It comes naturally to him.
Under the circumstances, it possibly makes more sense to leave out Shivam Dube to accommodate Jaiswal. Dube is a powerful striker of the ball, who has earned his place in the side on the basis of the runs he has made and in the manner he made them. There is no room to say that he doesn’t make the cut. But, for the sake of the ideal combination, he is possibly a weaker selection at the moment.
To have Jaiswal in the squad and still leave him out of the XI is a luxury few teams can afford. On potential and what has been seen of his performance so far, he would possibly walk into the starting line-up of every side in the world. But not when it comes to India. It’s an anomaly which has to be sorted out at the earliest. The question is, will India wait for this World Cup to get over before they take that call?
This means Jaiswal at the top and Kohli in the middle order – whether that’s at No. 3 or No. 4 is a matter of minor adjustment. It’s about making optimal use of resources. If Jaiswal at this point in time deserves a place at the top of the order, it should not matter whose place he takes. There is absolutely no doubt that he will eventually bat there. Then, why not now?