Yashasvi Jaiswal’s rise in international cricket has been one of the biggest positives for Indian cricket over the last two years. The young left-hander has already cemented his place in India’s Test setup with consistent performances and fearless strokeplay, but his position in the white-ball squads continues to remain uncertain because of the intense competition for opening spots.

Despite scoring a century in his most recent ODI appearance, Jaiswal was overlooked for India’s squad for the upcoming bilateral series against Afghanistan. The 23-year-old had smashed an unbeaten 116 against South Africa in Visakhapatnam last December after being drafted into the playing XI when regular skipper Shubman Gill missed the series due to injury. However, Gill’s return has once again pushed Jaiswal out of India’s ODI plans.

Former India chief selector MSK Prasad believes the talented opener should at least have been included in the India A squad for the upcoming one-day tri-series in Sri Lanka. According to Prasad, a player of Jaiswal’s quality needs regular game time to continue evolving across formats.

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“He should have been picked for the India A squad. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill already there, you understand that he may not get opportunities immediately, but sitting at home is not ideal for a player of his caliber,” MSK Prasad told The Times of India.

Prasad also urged Jaiswal not to view the omission as a setback, insisting that competition in Indian cricket has always left deserving players waiting for opportunities. So far, Jaiswal has played four ODIs for India, scoring 171 runs at an impressive average of 57. His List A numbers further highlight his consistency, with 1,746 runs in 39 innings, including six centuries and seven half-centuries.

MSK Prasad recalled that even players like Shreyas Iyer faced similar challenges despite dominating domestic cricket during his tenure as chairman of selectors.

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“These situations happen in Indian cricket because the talent pool is massive. Jaiswal is mentally strong, and this phase will only make him tougher,” MSK Prasad added. With his ability to dominate bowlers across formats, Jaiswal still remains one of India’s brightest long-term prospects in white-ball cricket.