Yashasvi Jaiswal dreams to be part of India squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
Yashasvi Jaiswal, one of the most promising stars of the Indian cricket team, needs no introduction today. There was a time when he left his home (Uttar Pradesh) and moved to Mumbai simply because he wanted to become a cricketer. We are all familiar with his story, from sleeping in tents during his struggling days to even selling pani puri. But today, he has become one of the key players of the Indian cricket team. People see him as the next big thing in Indian cricket. He is often compared to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
He recently made headlines for his maiden ODI century, which he scored against South Africa in the third ODI in Visakhapatnam. In that match, chasing a target of 271 runs, he scored an unbeaten 116 runs off 121 balls, including 12 fours and 2 sixes. He also shared a 155-run partnership for the first wicket with former captain Rohit Sharma. This brilliant performance helped India defeat South Africa by 9 wickets and win the 3-match ODI series 2-1.
In a recent interview, Jaiswal spoke about Rohit Sharma's concern and care for the young players in the team. He said that even when Rohit Sharma scolds other players, his loving concern is evident. He also emphasised the impact of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's presence in the ODI team. According to Jaiswal, Indian players gain a lot of experience from the presence of these two in the ODI setup. Yashasvi Jaiswal said that we get inspiration from watching Rohit and Virat. When they were not in the team, we missed them a lot.
"Having Rohit and Virat in the Indian team is a huge help. You learn so much about the game just from the conversations they have in the dressing room. We get inspired by them – the way they have played with such intensity for so many years. We get inspired. They teach us like younger brothers. They tell us not to make the mistakes they have made, not just as cricketers but as human beings," Jaiswal said.
"Whenever Rohit bhai scolds us, there's a lot of love and affection mixed in it." "In fact, if Rohit bhai isn't scolding you, you get anxious thinking what happened; why isn't he scolding me? Did he not like my performance?"
He also spoke about his conversation with Rohit Sharma during the third ODI. He said that the Indian dressing room felt calm and relaxed when these two experienced batsmen were playing.
"If they are there, we all feel relaxed. When I was playing the third ODI, Rohit bhai told me to relax and stay calm and take my time because he would take the risks. How many people would do that?" Jaiswal said. "Similarly, Virat paaji gave me small targets and said that we have to win this ourselves."
Furthermore, Jaiswal also expressed his dream of playing in the T20 World Cup. But he will wait for his opportunity. He was part of the winning Indian team at the T20 World Cup 2024, but he didn't get a chance to play in the playing XI.
"My dream is to play in the T20 World Cup, but I try to focus on my game and will wait for my time," he replied when asked about his chances of being included in the upcoming T20 World Cup team in 2026. This shows that he is prioritizing his current performance while being patient for future opportunities.
He also said that if he gets a chance to lead the Indian team in the future, he would like to do it. Jaiswal was also asked if he sees himself as the captain of India in the future. In response, he said,
"Yes, if I get the opportunity, I would like to lead India."
