Irfan Pathan Highlights Yashasvi Jaiswal's Potential Ahead of West Indies ODI Series
Focus on Yashasvi Jaiswal
Irfan Pathan, the former Indian all-rounder, expressed his keen interest in watching opener Yashasvi Jaiswal during the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies. He emphasized the importance of providing ample opportunities for players who could serve as backup openers for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Pathan shared his insights on JioStar's 'Follow the Blues' program. The ODI matches against the West Indies are set to commence on September 27. After being left out of the squad for the England ODIs, Jaiswal has made a comeback as Team India looks to strengthen its World Cup lineup. Jaiswal has primarily served as a backup opener to the renowned Rohit Sharma. In his six ODIs for India, he has accumulated 285 runs at an impressive average of 71.25, including two centuries and a top score of 116*. He has also been a consistent performer in Tests, amassing 2,612 runs in 31 matches at an average of 47.49, featuring seven centuries and 13 fifties.
Irfan's Insights on Jaiswal's Opportunities
During the show, Irfan remarked, "One player I will closely monitor in terms of the opportunities he receives in this ODI series against the West Indies is Yashasvi Jaiswal. As the backup opener in the squad, it is crucial that he gets sufficient chances before the World Cup in South Africa. I hope to see him play regularly whenever the opportunity arises. It will be essential to consider how to create those chances, whether by adjusting the batting order or rotating players, but I genuinely hope he gets his opportunities against the West Indies."
Testing Bench Strength Amid Absences
With key players like T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar unavailable for the West Indies ODIs due to their participation in the Asian Games cricket tournament, Irfan believes this is an ideal time to assess the team's bench strength. He stated, "This is not the primary team facing the West Indies in the ODIs, and I think that’s the right approach. With Bumrah, Shreyas, Axar, and Washington Sundar all engaged in the Asian Games, this is a crucial moment to evaluate your bench strength. You have limited matches before the World Cup next year, and these games provide a perfect opportunity to test younger players. The simultaneous occurrence of the Asian Games and the West Indies series is a blessing in disguise, allowing many young talents to showcase their skills."
India's ODI Squad for the West Indies Series
The Indian ODI team for the West Indies series includes: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Naman Dhir.