Yashasvi Jaiswal has every reason to feel hard done by. In his last three ODI innings he has scored two centuries, the latest being against Afghanistan on Saturday. And yet, as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee announced a 15-member squad for the three ODIs in England in July, Jaiswal didn’t make the cut. The Mumbai boy, who honed his skills at the Air India Colony ground in Kalina, must be thinking that life is unfair. But the 24-year-old is neither out of favour, nor is he out of the reckoning.
Indian cricket revels in an embarrassment of riches. It has its downside. In any other team in the world, he will walk in. In six ODIs, Jaiswal has scored 285 runs, including two hundreds, at an average of 71.25. As regards the Indian side, he is battling with a colossus. Rohit Sharma has scored 552 runs, including a hundred, at an average of 50.18 in 12 ODIs since last October, after he was stripped of the 50-over captaincy. It’s higher than his career average of 48.83. Yesterday, he made 79 off 69 balls in the final ODI against Afghanistan, besides taking three catches. Rohit is playing on his own terms.
But at 39 years of age, fitness might continue to play peek-a-boo with Rohit. And Jaiswal is waiting in the wings. He was drafted into the squad for the series against Afghanistan after Virat Kohli was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Kohli’s inclusion for the England tour has come with an asterisk. “Subject to fitness clearance,” said the BCCI press release.
Jaiswal is a smart boy. He knows he will have to bide his time. At the same time, it would be imperative that the communication from Agarkar & Co has been proper. Ahead of the final ODI against Afghanistan, Ryan ten Doeschate had thrown down the gauntlet to the southpaw. “He (Jaiswal) is one of those guys who, when he does get the odd chance, has to score runs,” the Indian team’s assistant coach had said. The opener responded with an unbeaten 110 off 86. Jaiswal is game, and it creates a healthy competition. Rohit knows he will have to be on his toes.
Ravindra Jadeja’s case is completely different. He wasn’t picked for the ODIs against Afghanistan, as the selectors wanted to have a look at Harsh Dubey. Now, for the England series, Axar Patel has been brought back. The next World Cup is in South Africa, where two left-arm spinners in the squad would be a luxury. The pecking order for that variety seemingly has been set — Axar is there as the first-choice, with Dubey as his understudy. Going ahead, Jadeja’s involvement in international cricket is likely to be restricted to Tests only.
Maybe, the home ODI series against New Zealand earlier this year broke the camel’s back. The 37-year-old looked a pale shadow of his former self in a series that the hosts lost to a second-string New Zealand side. For a player of Jadeja’s pedigree and stature, it’s never say never until he is retired. But by omitting him from the England-bound squad, the selectors probably have sent a message — Ravindra Jadeja’s ODI career is all but over.
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