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The Yashasvi Jaiswal paradox: Why India jewel's road to all-format champ still so far away

Rajgeeta Yadav

Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: AFP]Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: AFP]

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s story is one of the most inspiring journeys in Indian cricket. From selling pani-puri as a boy to becoming one of India’s most exciting Test openers, he has come a long way. 

Since making his Test debut in 2023, he has shown confidence and hunger for runs. His strong partnerships with Rohit Sharma and his fearless batting style have made him one of India’s brightest young red-ball talents.

In Tests, his numbers are outstanding. By the time he completed 53 innings, he had piled up 2,511 runs at an impressive average of 49.23, including seven hundreds and thirteen fifties. Clearly, he belongs at the top level. However, the big question is: If he is so talented, why hasn’t he become an all-format regular like Shubman Gill?

The struggle in limited-overs cricket

While Jaiswal has flourished in Tests, his journey in T20Is and ODIs has been less smooth. He made his T20I debut in 2023 against the West Indies, however, he failed to make a significant impact early on, scoring just 90 runs in three games. 

In 2024, against Sri Lanka, he again had a modest outing with 80 runs in three matches. Soon after, India moved on to a new opening pair, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, leaving Jaiswal out of the squad.

This exclusion continued as he was not picked for the Asia Cup 2025 either, even though he had been performing well in the IPL and domestic cricket.

Still, his overall T20I numbers are not bad at all. In 23 matches, he has scored 723 runs at an average of 36.15 and a superb strike rate of 164.32. He has five fifties and a century, but hasn’t yet cemented his spot as a first-choice opener.

Notably, his ODI journey only began in early 2025. He had a tough debut against England, scoring just 15 runs. However, when Shubman Gill missed matches due to a neck injury, Jaiswal grabbed the opportunity and scored his maiden ODI hundred within four innings. This showed that he has the talent to succeed there too, he just needs more consistent chances.

Is discipline Yashasvi Jaiswal’s biggest roadblock?

Talent alone does not guarantee a long and successful all-format career. Discipline, on the field and off it, is equally important. And this is where Jaiswal has raised concerns.

During the England Test 2025 series, he topped the list for most dropped catches by an Indian player. One of the most noticeable moments came in the second ODI against South Africa, earlier this week, where he dropped a straightforward catch at long-on off Kuldeep Yadav. These moments create pressure on the team and raise questions about his focus in the field.

Off the field, things have been rocky as well. In April 2025, he shocked many by requesting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mumbai Cricket Association to shift to Goa, supposedly to take up a leadership role. 

However, after advice from Rohit Sharma and a change in family circumstances, he reversed his decision and decided to stay with Mumbai. This mid-season U-turn created unnecessary controversy.

The young batter has also reportedly had disagreements in domestic cricket, especially a long-standing tension with former Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane. Incidents like these often paint a picture of a young player who still needs to manage his emotions better.

Meanwhile, his aggression on the field is another double-edged sword. While aggression is important for a top-order batter, sometimes it can come across as ego-driven. A recent example was his exchange with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc during the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where Jaiswal teased Starc by saying, “You are coming too slow at me.” Starc responded by dismissing him for a first-ball duck in the next Test. These moments, though harmless on the surface, can create an impression of immaturity.

Fierce competition in Indian cricket

One cannot ignore the competition. The current Indian team values players who can contribute in multiple ways, batters who bowl, bowlers who bat, and fielders who are exceptionally sharp. Jaiswal is a pure batter, which means he has to be extraordinary to hold a place across formats.

Meanwhile, players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, and Abhimanyu Easwaran are also pushing hard for spots. And when you add the management’s preference for multi-dimensional players, the fight becomes even tougher.

If he can work on these areas, there is no doubt he can join the league of India’s all-format greats. The potential is there, he now needs polishing and patience to turn that potential into a complete package.