It has been a dream start in Test cricket for young left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. A magnificent 171 in the Dominica Test against West Indies has been followed up by an impressive 57 in the ongoing match at Port of Spain.
Apart from this, he’s also earned T20I call-up to India’s squad for upcoming T20Is in the Caribbean as well as for the Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 28 to October 8.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has expressed delight over Jaiswal’s stupendous start to his Test career and feels the youngster is on the right path on seeing the progress he has made in the last one-and-a-half years across formats.
“It has been a dream start for him, there’s no doubting that. Anybody who gets 170 in Test cricket on debut and follow-up with a fifty, that’s a dream start anybody would wish to have. I have known him since 2013-14 as he was being coached by Jwala Singh, so I know him since then. As of now, I feel he’s on the right track as per his phenomenal progress which I have seen in the last 1.5 years.”
“Like, he made a double hundred in List A for Mumbai and then got big runs in India A, Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, as well as showcased some outstanding batting in this year’s IPL. A youngster at 21 playing and performing in high-pressure against renowned bowlers, he has taken his game to the next level in IPL 2023.”
“That form has continued in Test cricket, and it goes on to show that he’s a three-format player. He can get you a fifty in 13 balls and make 170 also after batting for the whole day in a Test match. That is a very good sign for any youngster; someone so young adapting well to different formats is outstanding and shows good signs for Indian cricket,” said Jaffer, an expert for JioCinema, in a select virtual media interaction.
A few days ago, former India captain Sourav Ganguly stated that Jaiswal can be included in India’s squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, to be held from October 5 to November 19. In 32 List A matches, Jaiswal has scored 1511 runs, averaging 53.96, including five centuries and seven half-centuries.
Asked about his views on Ganguly’s suggestion, Jaffer feels it is a tricky call as Jaiswal has shown that he’s got the game to excel in international cricket. But he added that experience is a crucial factor while selecting the squad for a mega event like the ODI World Cup.
“When somebody as big as Sourav Ganguly is saying, then there is some weight in the statement. There is no doubt either on the credentials of Yashasvi as he’s been making runs. My only concern is the experience of playing in the World Cup.”
“That could be one issue – of playing in a mega event. But other than that, looking at the form that he is in, it is not a bad idea to try him (to pick in the ODI World Cup squad). But in such a big tournament like this, you also require a little bit of experience also.”
“When India won the 2011 World Cup, we had so many experienced guys in that team. From Sachin Tendulkar to Yuvraj Singh to MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag. Experience counts when you have to play under pressure in games.”
“I have nothing against the idea but I am just saying some experience should be there. He (Jaiswal) has got such a long career ahead so he will get an opportunity in future. But I would like to see guys with little bit experience and in-form in the team,” he concluded.
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