Yashasvi Jaiswal was not the loudest name in India’s ODI selection debate when the Afghanistan series began. That space belonged to others – Rohit Sharma’s longevity, Virat Kohli’s fitness and future, Shubman Gill’s captaincy, Ishan Kishan’s return, KL Rahul’s role and Shreyas Iyer’s place in the middle order.
By the end of the third ODI in Chennai, however, Jaiswal had forced his way into that discussion with a statement that selectors cannot easily ignore. In a series where India had already done enough to seal the result, the left-hander used the final match to make a serious case for the next big ODI assignment, especially the South Africa conversation.
Jaiswal turns a dead rubber into a selection statement
The match situation gave India a perfect platform to test their depth. Afghanistan opted to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium but were bowled out for 218 despite a fighting century from captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. Prasidh Krishna led India’s bowling effort with a five-wicket haul, ensuring Afghanistan never truly escaped the pressure after early setbacks.
India’s chase then became less about the target and more about the message from the top order. Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma added 170 for the first wicket, taking the game away from Afghanistan well before the finish. Rohit’s 79 was another reminder that he is not fading quietly from India’s ODI picture, but Jaiswal’s century carried the sharper selection consequence.
This was not just a good knock in isolation. Jaiswal had already made an unbeaten 116 against South Africa in his previous ODI appearance before returning to the format in this series. After missing out cheaply in Lucknow, he needed a big innings in Chennai because the competition around him had only intensified. Ishan Kishan had scored heavily in the series. Gill remains central to the leadership plan. Rahul is still a trusted ODI name. Kohli, when fit, walks back into the conversation. Rohit continues to make runs.
That is exactly why Jaiswal’s innings matters. He is not merely asking to be retained as a squad option. He is pushing selectors to answer a much harder question: how long can India keep a left-handed opener with this level of early ODI conversion outside the main plan?
He offers something India value highly in modern ODI cricket – left-hand variety at the top, attacking intent in the powerplay and the ability to convert starts into match-shaping hundreds. That combination is rare, and it becomes even more valuable when the selectors are trying to balance experience with transition.
The key is not to frame this as Jaiswal replacing one senior player immediately. That would be too simplistic. Rohit made runs in Chennai. Kohli’s ODI record remains massive. Rahul, Gill, Ishan and Shreyas all bring different roles. But Jaiswal has now moved from “backup opener” to “serious selection problem.”
In a squad where several players are being discussed for South Africa, Yashasvi Jaiswal has done the most important thing a fringe contender can do: he has made his argument on the field. Two ODI hundreds so early in his career do not guarantee him a fixed place, but they do guarantee one thing – selectors will now have to explain why he is not there, rather than why he should be.
