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'Ishan Kishan’s T20I form worries me': Wasim Jaffer serves brutal 'Jaiswal' reminder to Dravid for WI series decider
Wasim Jaffer has served a brutal Yashasvi Jaiswal reminder to Rahul Dravid and Co. for the 2nd T20I against the West Indies.
Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer wants Rahul Dravid and Co. to make a statement by bringing in a noteworthy change in Team India's playing XI for the series decider against the West Indies on Sunday. Hardik Pandya's Team India suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the West Indies in the first T20I of the three-match series on Thursday. Jason Holder-inspired West Indies edged past the second-string Indian side by four runs in a final-over thriller at the Brian Lara Stadium.
In a match where youngster Tilak Varma and pacer Mukesh Kumar received their T20I debut caps, the in-form opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill failed to put up a show for the Rohit Sharma-less side. Opener Kishan, who smashed three half-centuries in the preceding One Day International (ODI) series, had a forgetful outing against the same opposition in Trinidad. Wicketkeeper-batter Kishan perished for 6 off 9 balls in the curtain-raiser of the T20I series against the West Indies.
Discussing India's possible playing XI ahead of the 2nd T20I against the former world champions, ex-India opener Jaffer has backed Yashasvi Jaiswal to make his T20I debut on Sunday. The India opener had made his international debut earlier in the Caribbean. Smashing a brilliant century in his debut game for Rohit's men, Jaiswal had shattered multiple records against the West Indies. Thus, Jaffer feels Jaiswal should replace Kishan in the Indian playing XI for the 2nd T20I.
'Ishan Kishan’s T20I form worries me'
“I want to see Yashasvi Jaiswal. He should play as an opening batter. I want to see Jaiswal in place of Ishan Kishan. Ishan Kishan’s T20I form worries me. In the last 15 innings, he hasn’t even scored a 40, the strike rate is also too low. So, that’s a cause of concern, but he was in good form in ODIs. It’s a different format (T20I). He also had an ordinary IPL season,” Jaffer told ESPNCricinfo.
While Kishan had an ordinary season with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jaiswal had earned his maiden India call-up after spearheading the batting charge for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the same season. Young Jaiswal was the highest run-getter for the 2008 champions in the cash-rich league. The 21-year-old amassed 625 runs in the previous edition of the IPL. Opener Jaiswal was also the leading run-getter (266 runs) for India in the Test series against the Men from the Caribbean.
‘Why not give opportunity to the boy who played well in IPL?’
“Why not give an opportunity to the boy who played very well in the IPL? He won the emerging player award and is confident. I’ll definitely look towards that change. “The first T20I was played on a difficult pitch, so expecting them [Kishan and Shubman Gill] to play in that fashion (free-flowing mode) is too much expectation. It’s crucial to see the pitch for the second T20I. If it’s good enough, then our batters will obviously play well,” Jaffer added.
