Veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh has stated that it would be extremely difficult for Yashasvi Jaiswal to make a place in the playing XI for the Champions Trophy match after the BCCI’s decision to name Shubman Gill the vice-captain of the side. The selection committee has decided to elevate Shubman to the leadership role and get him ready for the transition period when Rohit Sharma decides to hang his boots. Meanwhile, they also picked Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has yet to make his ODI debut, for the Champions Trophy squad.
Harbhajan Singh has made it very clear that Yashasvi Jaiswal deserved a place in the squad and acknowledged the people who also want him to start in the playing XI. However, he also stated that it won’t happen as Shubman, who is also an opening batter, has been named Rohit’s deputy.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s stellar career in international cricket especially test cricket
Yashasvi Jaiswal has already amassed a phenomenal average of 64.05 in 20 innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal has already gone past the mark of 1,200 runs and so far to his 1,217 runs he’ll be aiming to make it to 1,500 runs in his budding career. Yashasvi Jaiswal just requires 283 runs to reach the 1500 mark.
Yashasvi Jaiswal stands at the top of the list for the highest run-getter of this WTC cycle, with only Joe Root ahead of him. Since no batsman has aggregated more than 2,000 runs in a single WTC cycle, Jaiswal might be the first to do so if he continues scoring runs in all the remaining Tests scheduled for his country. He will also be the quickest Indian to amass 2,000 Test runs. Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag are holding the record now, which they achieved in 40 innings.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has emerged as one of the rising stars in world cricket, and he has had an impeccable record in red-ball cricket since he made his debut. The left-handed opener has been the leading run-getter for India in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle – 1217 runs in 11 matches at a staggering average of 64.05. The young batter has already made a massive impact in just 11 Tests and 11 Tests with his three daddy knocks – 171, 209 and 214 – which shows his hunger to score to keep going after getting to the triple-figure mark.
The left-arm batter has been scoring big runs at home, but his performance in South Africa was not really up to the mark. Indian batters are judged on the basis of their record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries. In two Tests on Proteas, Jaiswal found it tough to get going and scored 50 runs in four innings, with a best score of 28.
Meanwhile, the selection of Yashasvi Jaiswal was a no-brainer after his fine run Down Under albeit in Tests, and the variety he offers at the top as a left-hander. The young batter has also displayed impressive signs in the T20 format also but Shubman Gill has been the consistent performer for India in the 50-over format since making the debut.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said that Yashasvi Jaiswal will not be a part of the playing XI in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite his impressive batting in recent times. He mentioned that with Shubman Gill getting the vice-captaincy, the team management can’t drop him, and he will open with captain Rohit Sharma.
Former spinner Harbhajan Singh explains why Yashasvi Jaiswal can’t be included in playing XI in the Champions Trophy 2025
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh reckons that Yashasvi Jaiswal is unlikely to feature in the playing XI in the 2025 Champions Trophy despite his impressive form with the willow. Harbhajan, however, added that Jaiswal would have opened with Rohit Sharma had Shubman Gill not been named vice-captain.
Team India named their 15-member provisional Champions Trophy 2025 squad on Saturday, January 18. While Rohit was retained as captain, Gill was named his deputy. Yashasvi Jaiswal, among the few positives during India’s Test tour of Australia, was also picked as the third opening option.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan opined that Yashasvi Jaiswal should ideally open with Rohit in the Champions Trophy. He, however, added that he doesn’t see that happening since Gill has been named vice-captain. The 44-year-old said:
“Everyone was saying that Jaiswal should have been picked because he showed in Australia that he is ready. People not only wanted him in the team, but wanted him be part of the playing XI as well. But that is difficult now since Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain. Since Gill is the vice-captain, he will open.”
“In case Yashasvi opens, Gill will have to move down to three and Virat Kohli to four. But then where will Shreyas Iyer bat? The train gets derailed. I feel Yashasvi should have played because a cricketer should be given a chance when he is form. If Gill had not been named vice-captain, Jaiswal would have been picked in the playing XI. Now that Gill is the vice-captain, he cannot be dropped,” Harbhajan added.
While Gill had a poor Test tour of Australia, he has an impressive record in the one-day format. In 47 matches, he has scored 2,328 runs at an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 101.74, with six hundreds, 13 fifties, and a best of 208.
Speaking at the press conference after Team India’s Champions Trophy squad was announced on Saturday, Team India captain Rohit explained that Jaiswal was selected based on his recent form and potential. The 37-year-old said:
“We picked Jaiswal on the basis of what he has shown in the last few months despite not playing ODI cricket. He has been picked on potential and sometimes you have to do that.”
“In that, some players will miss out, it’s very unlucky but you can’t please everyone. You try and make the best team to win games in different situations and I feel with these guys you can have that,” he added.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal is yet to make his one-day debut, the 23-year-old has featured in 19 Tests and 23 T20Is, scoring 1,798 and 723 runs, respectively. Star Indian opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is all set to play for Mumbai in the team’s upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. Mumbai will face Jammu & Kashmir in the Elite Group A match of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season from January 23 to 26 at Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who last played in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai in the 2022-23 season, has 833 runs to his name in nine matches. His batting average in the premier domestic red-ball tournament is 59.50, and he has hammered 4 centuries and 2 fifties in 17 innings.