Wasim Jaffer wants Yashasvi Jaiswal to replace Ishan Kishan in Team India for 2nd T20I against West Indies

Ishan Kishan has had a prolific campaign in the Caribbean thus far. He scored four half-centuries on the trot (one in the second Test and three in as many ODIs) before getting out for just six off nine balls in the first T20I in the five-match series. The wicketkeeper-batter has not been able to play to his potential in T20Is. In 28 matches, he averages under 25 and has a strike rate of just 121.81.

Former Indian opener, Wasim Jaffer, believes that Ishan's form in T20Is is a concern for India and he backed the Mumbai batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, to make his T20I debut in the second game that is scheduled to be played on Sunday, August 6, in Guyana. Yashasvi registered scores of 171, 57, and 38, respectively, in the three innings he played during the two-match Test series against the West Indies. The Southpaw also had a phenomenal Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season.

“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.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan IPL 2023 performance comparison

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who plays for Rajasthan Royal, had a standout IPL season this year with the bat as he scored 625 runs in 14 matches at an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61. He notched up five fifties and a hundred during the campaign. Against Kolkata Knight Riders, Yashasvi set a new record for the fastest 50 in IPL history, as he reached the milestone in just 13 balls at Eden Gardens.

Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, played 16 matches this season and scored 454 runs at an average of 30.27 and a strike rate of 142.77, with three half-centuries to his name. It will be interesting to see if Ishan is backed by the Indian team management or if the fans get to see the T20I debut of the 21-year-old Yashasvi in the second T20I of the series against the West Indies. If the Jharkhand cricketer gets dropped, Sanju Samson will take up wicketkeeping duties.