Yashasvi Jaiswal has undoubtedly cemented his place in India’s Test lineup, with his latest century performance further solidifying his formidable reputation. In the ongoing second Test against the West Indies, the dynamic left-handed batter from Mumbai smashed a superb 175 runs off 258 balls, adorned with 22 impressive fours.
Despite his undeniable prowess in red-ball cricket, Jaiswal has yet to receive extensive opportunities in the limited-overs formats. So far, he has played 26 Tests, one ODI, and 23 T20Is for India.
However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes it’s only a matter of time before Jaiswal becomes a regular fixture across all three formats. Speaking on his popular YouTube channel, Chopra boldly suggested that cricket fans might soon stop missing captain Rohit Sharma once Yashasvi starts opening the batting alongside the talented Shubman Gill in One Day Internationals.
“It’s no longer a question of ‘if,’ but ‘when.’ Yashasvi is poised to play across all formats very soon. He has already made a significant impact in T20Is, even scoring a century. His consistency in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is remarkable, and he was a key part of the T20 World Cup squad. While Shubman Gill moved ahead due to leadership responsibilities, Yashasvi’s moment is coming. You simply cannot keep a player of his caliber waiting for long. There’s some talk about Abhishek Sharma’s inclusion in ODIs, but I firmly believe Yashasvi deserves his chance first. If he forms an opening pair with Gill, people might not even notice Rohit’s absence,” Chopra elaborated.
Rohit Sharma, now 38, recently stepped down as India’s ODI captain, fueling speculation about his international future. Having already retired from Tests and T20Is, Rohit is now set to channel his focus solely on 50-over cricket. Both he and Yashasvi have been selected for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled to commence on October 19.
Chopra went on to predict an extraordinary IPL season for Jaiswal. “In T20s, I honestly don’t think we’ve witnessed his absolute best yet. He possesses immense talent and an insatiable hunger for runs. A season where he scores 750 or even 800 runs in the IPL is definitely within his reach,” he asserted.
The veteran cricketer also offered a fascinating glimpse into the future T20 setup, suggesting that after the 2026 T20 World Cup, Yashasvi could emerge as India’s undisputed preferred opener, potentially shifting Shubman Gill down to the No. 3 position.
Chopra concluded, “Whenever Yashasvi gets an opportunity, he capitalizes on it completely. Once he solidifies his spot, you won’t find yourself missing other players. By the time the next World Cup arrives, he will very likely be a consistent starter in the playing XI.”