WI vs IND: Want to see Yashasvi Jaiswal play in the second T20I for India, says Wasim Jaffer

By India Today Sports Desk: Wasim Jaffer has said that he would like to see Yashasvi Jaiswal come in as the opener for India in the second T20I against West Indies on Sunday, replacing Ishan Kishan.

In the IPL 2023 season, Jaiswal broke records with his spectacular performance. Playing for the Rajasthan Royals, he scored an impressive 625 runs in 14 matches, breaking a 15-year-old record for the most runs by an uncapped player in a single season. His best score was 124, and he maintained an average of 48.07 with a strike rate of 163.61. This performance led to his selection for the Indian team for the Test series against West Indies.

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Jaiswal made his international debut in July 2023 against the West Indies. He started his Test career on a high note, scoring a remarkable 171 runs in his debut match, making him the third-highest scoring Indian on Test debut. His performance also placed him among the top five highest scores on debut in away Tests. His partnership with captain Rohit Sharma, which resulted in a record-breaking opening stand of 229 runs, was another highlight of the match.

Speaking to Cricinfo, Jaffer said that he wanted to see Jaiswal in the side for the second T20I in Guyana replacing Kishan. The former Indian opener also said that Kishan’s form in the T20I format worries him.

“I want to see Yashasvi Jaiswal. He should play as an opening batter. I want to see Jaiswal in place of Ishan Kishan. Ishan Kishan’s T20I form worries me. In the last 15 innings, he hasn’t even scored a 40, the strike rate is also too low. So, that’s a cause of concern, but he was in good form in ODIs. It’s a different format (T20I). He also had an ordinary IPL season,” said Jaffer.

Jaffer said that it would be ideal to give Jaiswal an opportunity after his terrific performance in the IPL this season and the 21-year-old coming into the side is a change he is definitely looking forward to.

“Why not give an opportunity to the boy who played very well in the IPL? He won the emerging player award and is confident. I’ll definitely look towards that change,” said Jaffer.