Virender Sehwag, a former Indian cricket legend, has weighed in on the debate surrounding young batter Yashasvi Jaiswal's future in the sport. Sehwag believes Jaiswal has the talent to excel in all three formats of the game, despite his limited opportunities in white-ball cricket so far.
Jaiswal, a southpaw, has been a regular in the Test team, opening the batting alongside KL Rahul. However, he has struggled to find a consistent place in India's white-ball squads. The current opening spots in ODIs and T20Is are occupied by established stars like Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma, respectively, leaving little room for Jaiswal.
Sehwag, in a recent interview, expressed his belief that Jaiswal's talent will shine through once he gets more opportunities. He mentioned that the current setup in the Indian team makes it challenging for Jaiswal to break into the white-ball squads, but he is confident that his time will come.
"Jaiswal is a player who can play all three formats," Sehwag said. "He has performed well when given the chance, and I believe he will continue to do so. As soon as Rohit Sharma retires, you will see Jaiswal in white-ball cricket and one-dayers. Ruturaj Gaikwad might be a competitor, but I think Jaiswal will definitely be among the three openers."
Sehwag also highlighted the competition within the Indian team, noting that Ishan Kishan, who has made a double hundred in ODIs, is also in the running for a place in the ODI team. However, he expressed his desire to see Jaiswal in all three formats, emphasizing his versatility.
"Ishan Kishan is also a player in contention," Sehwag added. "He hasn't been part of one-day cricket, but his double hundred in ODIs is impressive. I would love to see Jaiswal in one-day cricket and T20Is, and I believe he can handle all three formats."
The upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan will provide an opportunity for both Jaiswal and Kishan to showcase their skills and potentially secure their places in the Indian team's future plans. Sehwag's support and belief in Jaiswal's abilities add to the growing momentum surrounding the young batter's potential impact on Indian cricket.
