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Yashasvi Jaiswal was one of the notable absentees when the BCCI announced India's squad for the upcoming ODI series against England. The young opener had recently impressed in the 50-over format and even scored a century in his last ODI appearance, but that was not enough to earn him a place in the 15-member squad.
With India gradually building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, the selectors opted for a full-strength squad for the England tour, leaving Yashasvi Jaiswal on the outside despite his impressive performances whenever he has been given an opportunity.
Yashasvi Jaiswal snubbed from India ODI squad for England series
The BCCI Selection Committee on Sunday picked India's squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England.
The squad sees the return of several senior players, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Shubman Gill continues as captain. The selectors have largely retained the core group that is expected to form India's first-choice ODI side heading into the next World Cup cycle.
However, Yashasvi Jaiswal failed to find a place in the squad despite being part of India's ODI plans in recent months. The left-handed opener was overlooked as the selectors backed a settled batting unit for the important series in English conditions.
His omission has generated discussion considering the form he showed during the Afghanistan ODI series.
Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed a ton in his last ODI outing
Jaiswal's omission becomes even more surprising when one looks at his ODI record. The left-handed opener has played only six ODIs so far but has already scored 285 runs at an average of 71.25, including two centuries.
His most recent ODI appearance came against Afghanistan on Saturday, where he remained unbeaten on 110. The century was his second hundred in just six ODI innings and further underlined his credentials as one of India's brightest young white-ball batters.
Jaiswal was drafted into India's squad for the Afghanistan ODIs after Virat Kohli was ruled out with a hamstring injury. The Rajasthan Royals star grabbed the opportunity with both hands, finishing the series with another impressive performance.
However, despite averaging more than 70 in ODI cricket and scoring a century in his latest outing, the 24-year-old could not retain his place in the squad for the England series.
Why Yashasvi Jaiswal was not picked in the India ODI squad vs England
The biggest reason behind Jaiswal's omission appears to be the lack of available spots in India's preferred batting order.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill remain India's first-choice opening pair in ODI cricket and are expected to continue at the top against England. With Virat Kohli likely to return after recovering from his injury, the selectors were able to restore their strongest top three.
That left very little room for Yashasvi Jaiswal despite his recent success. Unlike the Afghanistan series, where he came into the squad as Kohli's replacement, the England tour will feature India's full-strength batting lineup. As a result, Jaiswal appears to have become the unfortunate casualty of India's incredible batting depth rather than any issue with his form or performances.
His unbeaten century against Afghanistan has almost certainly strengthened his case for future opportunities, but for now, the return of Kohli and the continued presence of Rohit and Gill at the top of the order seem to be the primary reasons behind his exclusion from the England ODI squad.
