Sanjay Manjrekar slams selectors over Yashasvi Jaiswal’s exclusion from India ODI setup. Check details

India’s Test and ODI squads have been announced for the upcoming one-off Test match and the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Several new players have been given an opportunity in both squads, including Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar (test & ODI), Prince Yadav (in ODIs), and Manav Suthar (in Tests). Additionally, Ishan Kishan has made a comeback to the ODI team. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal did not find a place in the ODI squad.

It is now believed that Yashasvi will be seen playing exclusively in Test cricket. This decision has drawn significant criticism from fans directed at the selection panel. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar also criticised Yashasvi's exclusion, stating that the selectors ought to apologise to him. During an interview, he remarked:

“If they were compelled to pick Rohit Sharma for whatever reason, the first thing they’ve got to do is pick up the phone and talk to Jaiswal and apologise, because this is a young player who’s done tremendous things at the toughest level, in Test cricket. He’s just 24 years old, in his prime, with a bright future ahead, same with Sai Sudharsan.” 

“Sai Sudharsan has got three fifties in his four innings (two fifties in three innings) batting at the top of the order for India, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s last innings is 116 not out (against South Africa), and these guys are not playing for India. The selectors have gone with a veteran whose fitness is a question mark and who is clearly out of form,” Manjrekar said.

“(Shubman) Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jaiswal are tailor-made to be a top three in 50-overs cricket, and you’re not backing them, and you’re going to a Rohit Sharma. At least with Virat Kohli, he has a case. It cannot be that the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, believes that this is the right way forward for Indian cricket. I cannot imagine him thinking this is the right way forward.”

Manjrekar further stated that while both Rohit and Kohli have maintained a stellar recent record for India in ODI cricket, their continued selection could potentially land Team India in trouble in the long run. The Indian squad features numerous youngsters who are now ready for ODI cricket—including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Sai Sudharsan—yet they are not receiving opportunities to play.

Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rohit Sharma has scored 838 runs at an average of 45, and Virat Kohli has scored 949 runs at an average of 59; however, selectors have consistently remained non-committal regarding the inclusion of both players for the 2027 ODI World Cup, despite the fact that both players have repeatedly expressed their desire to participate in the tournament.

“Look at Shubman Gill’s numbers, look at Ishan Kishan’s numbers, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is nowhere in the running, has an ODI hundred. So, if you are going to focus on Rohit and Virat so much that you ignore all the others, then there is a case. But there comes a time when you must look at the way forward for Indian cricket,” he said.

“When you look at numbers and justify the selection, the job is not about justifying the selection, it’s about doing what’s best for Indian cricket going forward.”
“The selectors’ job is not to think about only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. They’ve got to think about the 50-100 other players that are vying to play for India.” he added.