Irfan Pathan Wants Yashasvi Jaiswal To Get ODI Run Before World Cup
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Yashasvi Jaiswal should get enough opportunities in the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies to establish himself as India’s backup opener ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup.
India will play the West Indies in a three-match ODI series from September 27 to October 3, with the home season beginning in Thiruvananthapuram.
With several regulars unavailable because of their participation in the Asian Games, Pathan sees the series as an opportunity for India to assess its bench strength before the World Cup in South Africa.
Pathan Wants Jaiswal To Play Regularly
Pathan believes Jaiswal should make the most of the opportunities that come his way during the West Indies series.
“One player I will have my eyes on, in terms of the number of opportunities he gets in this one-day series against the West Indies, is Yashasvi Jaiswal,” Pathan told JioHotstar.
The former all-rounder said Jaiswal is currently the backup opener in the squad and should have sufficient international exposure before India travel to South Africa for the World Cup.
“So, whenever there is an opportunity, I would want to see him playing regularly. Obviously, you will have to think about how you create those opportunities, whether you shuffle the batting order or rotate the players, but I hope he gets his chances against the West Indies,” he said.
West Indies Series To Test India’s Bench
Pathan pointed out that India will not have its full-strength ODI squad for the series, with Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar among those involved in the Asian Games.
He believes the situation provides India with a chance to test players who could become important options before the World Cup.
“This is not the main team against the West Indies for the ODIs, and I feel that’s the right way to go,” Pathan said.
“You are going to get only a few matches before the World Cup next year, and in those games, you want to test your bench strength as well.”
The 41-year-old added that the simultaneous scheduling of the Asian Games and West Indies series could provide valuable opportunities to younger players.
Pathan Backs Naman Dhir’s ODI Chance
Pathan also backed maiden ODI call-up Naman Dhir, highlighting his ability to contribute with both bat and ball.
He believes Dhir’s off-spin could provide India with an additional bowling option, particularly with Washington Sundar unavailable and Riyan Parag having faced injury concerns.
“I think he is a great talent. More than his performances in domestic cricket, he has been selected for his ability to bowl,” Pathan said.
“He has the skill, but more than his batting, his bowling will be tested.”
Pathan described Dhir as a player capable of batting both lower down the order and higher up while providing useful off-spin.
With the ODI series against West Indies offering India a chance to assess several fringe players, Jaiswal and Dhir could both have an opportunity to strengthen their claims ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
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