Former Indian middle-order batter Ajinkya Rahane, who recently retired from all forms of the game, has advised the Indian backup opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to keep working on his game despite being benched in the Indian ODI team.
It’s important to note that the ODI captain Shubman Gill is currently the opening batter along with Rohit Sharma. While Jaiswal is currently seen as a back-up opening choice, he is not a regular part of the One-Day set-up.
Speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel, Rahane shared a piece of advice with the benched opener, stating that he needs to uplift his game even from the outside. Notably, Jaiswal has been drafted into the ODI squad for the current West Indies series at home.
“It is a challenging period for a youngster when you know you are next in line. Questions like when you will get the next chance, when you will do well, and when you will get consistent chances will come to mind,” Ajinkya Rahane said on his YouTube channel.
“As a player, you need to focus on what is in your hands. If you are with the team and sitting out, look at how you can improve and how you can be prepared. If Jaiswal is not getting chances, it is important for him to uplift his game even from the outside,” he added.
For the unversed, Jaiswal has played six One-Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 285 runs at an impressive average of 71.25 and a strike rate of 97.60, featuring two centuries and a highest score of 116 not out.
On the other hand, Rohit scored 175 runs in the recent three-match ODI series against England at an average of 58.33, highlighted by a magnificent 138 off 110 balls at Lord’s.
