Has Yashasvi Jaiswal been dropped from India’s ODI team for the New Zealand series, or is there another reason behind his absence?
India have announced separate squads for the first three and final two ODIs. Yet Jaiswal, regarded as one of India’s finest young talents and a potential regular across all three formats, does not feature in either.
His absence naturally raises questions. He has struggled to find an ODI opening because Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill continue to perform. He has also remained outside the T20I side despite an impressive record. Seeing his name missing from both ODI squads has therefore brought back a familiar concern: is history repeating itself?
Why the T20I Comparison Worries Fans
Jaiswal scored 723 runs in 23 T20Is at an average of 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.32. Those numbers show that his aggressive approach produced results.
The concern comes from what followed. Being rested to focus on Test cricket did not lead to a straightforward return to the T20I side. Gill returned to the setup, while Jaiswal continued to wait.
That experience explains why another omission attracts suspicion. Supporters do not want a temporary absence to become another prolonged spell outside the team.
His ODI record strengthens the argument for keeping him involved. He averages 71.25 from six matches, with two centuries. He remains a strong candidate to succeed Rohit at the top of the order when that opportunity eventually opens.
Test Preparation Explains the ODI Absence
There is a practical reason not to treat this selection as the end of Jaiswal’s ODI prospects: his preparation for the New Zealand Test series.
He has already been named in India A’s squad for the red-ball matches in New Zealand. That gives him an opportunity to prepare in local conditions rather than spend the opening ODI matches waiting on the bench.
His absence from the fourth and fifth ODIs fits the wider approach of giving Test players preparation time. The bigger question is why he was not included for the first three.
Where Would He Have Played?
Rohit and Gill are the established opening pair, with Virat Kohli at No. 3. With all three available, Jaiswal would have had little room in the starting XI.
As seen in the previous series, being part of the squad does not necessarily mean getting a match. Taking him along as a reserve for three ODIs could have left him without game time while reducing his opportunity to prepare with the red ball.
Viewed that way, leaving him out serves a clearer purpose than carrying him on the bench. India can use him where he is immediately needed: preparing for the Test series.
The expectation is that Jaiswal will return to the ODI squad for a future series. His performances justify that place, even if an opening in the XI remains difficult to find. For now, his red-ball preparation offers a stronger explanation than the fear that he is being pushed out of India’s plans.
India’s Squad for the First Three ODIs
Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna* and Kuldeep Yadav.
Prasidh Krishna’s selection is subject to fitness clearance.
India’s Squad for the Fourth and Fifth ODIs
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav.
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