Former India spin bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced disagreement with the BCCI selection panel's decision to leave Yashasvi Jaiswal out of India's ODI squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Ashwin argued that Jaiswal warranted selection across the final two fixtures of the series, particularly given that Shubman Gill was not available for those games.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Ashwin described the decision as both unjust and regrettable. He contended that even if Jaiswal needed preparation time ahead of the upcoming Test series, a place in the final two ODIs remained an option worth considering for the match experience it would have provided, adding that Jaiswal stood as the natural choice for any batting position vacated by Gill in those fixtures.
Ashwin also drew attention to the fact that Jaiswal had been absent from international fixtures for roughly four months, a stretch that followed a period in which he had built up a steady record of run-scoring across different formats. Noting that the player had proven himself a prolific scorer, Ashwin argued that team management bore a responsibility to keep such talent active rather than allow him to sit on the sidelines unused.
Ashwin put forward the view that selectors and team management share a duty to support a player's form and mental state by providing consistent opportunities wherever those are available. He raised the question of whether limited-overs appearances should be the price paid for Test cricket preparation.
Prolonged absences from international fixtures, Ashwin observed, carry a real risk of eroding both the self-belief and the growth trajectory of a young batter. Ashwin put forward the view that selectors could have approached Jaiswal directly about featuring in the remaining two ODIs, giving him the opportunity to assess his own readiness.
Jaiswal's appearances in one-day internationals have been notably sparse, raising questions about when he last featured in the format. Questions about when he last featured in T20 cricket — and the gap since that outing — have also drawn notice. His sparse ODI appearances have drawn scrutiny over how India is managing depth ahead of the ODI World Cup scheduled for South Africa the following year.
Ashwin expressed the view that those in charge of selection and team management bear a shared duty to back Jaiswal and guide him back to form, describing the situation as deeply unfortunate. He described Jaiswal as a player of considerable ability. Questions about how selectors and team management handle Jaiswal's welfare have drawn attention from observers of the side.