Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 116 not out against South Africa in his last ODI appearance. | Photo Credit: K R DEEPAK

Former India international Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that national team selectors owe Yashasvi Jaiswal an explanation for his exclusion from India’s squad for its upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan.

Speaking about the selectors’ decision to go with Rohit Sharma over Jaiswal for the series on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast, Manjrekar said, “If they were compelled to pick Rohit Sharma for whatever reason, the first thing they’ve got to do is pick up the phone and talk to Jaiswal and apologise, because this is a young player who’s done tremendous things at the toughest level, in Test cricket. He’s just 24 years old, in his prime, with a bright future ahead, same with Sai Sudharsan.”

“Sai Sudharsan has got three fifties in his four innings (two fifties in three innings) batting at the top of the order for India, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s last innings is 116 not out (against South Africa), and these guys are not playing for India. The selectors have gone with a veteran whose fitness is a question mark and who is clearly out of form,” Manjrekar said.

“(Shubman) Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jaiswal are tailor-made to be a top three in 50-overs cricket, and you’re not backing them, and you’re going to a Rohit Sharma. At least with Virat Kohli, he has a case. It cannot be the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, believing that this is the right way forward for Indian cricket. I cannot imagine him thinking this is the right way forward.”

Manjrekar suggested that while both Rohit and Kohli have good recent records in ODI cricket for India (since the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rohit has scored 838 runs at an average of 45, and Kohli has scored 949 runs at an average of 59), their continued selection perhaps indicates a lack of foresight.

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“Look at Shubman Gill’s numbers, look at Ishan Kishan’s numbers, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is nowhere in the running, has an ODI hundred. So, if you are going to focus on Rohit and Virat so much that you ignore all the others, then there is a case. But there comes a time when you must look at the way forward for Indian cricket,” he said.

“When you look at numbers and justify the selection, the job is not about justifying the selection, it’s about doing what’s best for Indian cricket going forward.”

Manjrekar added, “The selectors’ job is not to think about only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. They’ve got to think about the 50-100 other players that are vying to play for India.”

Published on May 27, 2026