‘A bit harsh’: Manjrekar raises questions after Jaiswal’s exclusion despite strong ODI returns

Mumbai : The exclusion of inform opener Yashasvi Jaiswal from India’s ODI squad for the three-match series in England has raised eyebrows, especially after the left-hander smashed an unbeaten 110 off 86 balls against Afghanistan in Chennai. Jaiswal, who has scored two centuries in just six ODIs, came into the side as Virat Kohli’s replacement during the Afghanistan series but made way once the former captain returned.

With Rohit Sharma continuing as opener alongside skipper Shubman Gill, Jaiswal faces a prolonged wait for opportunities, prompting concerns about his ODI future ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar termed Jaiswal’s omission “harsh” and said the selectors must have a long-term plan involving Rohit if they are continuing with the veteran.

“Yashasvi has scored two hundreds in his last three ODIs. He made 116 not out against South Africa, then after a gap scored four and a hundred. Anyone opening in India’s strong ODI side will get opportunities, and Yashasvi has made the most of them. So yes, it is unfortunate and a bit harsh,” Manjrekar said during an online interaction on Tuesday.

“If the selectors have picked Rohit, I hope it’s because they genuinely see him as part of the 2027 World Cup plans. Otherwise, that place should have gone to somebody else,” he added.

Manjrekar said Indian cricket often struggles to take purely merit-based decisions involving senior stars. “We all know the culture around big-name players. Decisions are rarely as simple as judging on cricketing merit alone. That seems to be the case with Rohit too. If the selectors believe Rohit is part of the long-term plan, they should say so. But if he is being picked because they are not ready to drop him, then it reflects a problem Indian cricket has had for years. Selection should never be about what’s best for Virat, Rohit or Bumrah. It should always be about what’s best for Indian cricket,” Manjrekar asserted.
The former India batter also backed 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Referring to the youngster’s recent verbal altercation during India A’s Tri-series in Sri Lanka, Manjrekar said: “He has learnt a lesson. He seems a very aware and mature guy and will handle such situations much better in the future.”

Asked whether he had seen anyone bat like Sooryavanshi, Manjrekar said the teenager’s aggressive approach was unique.
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