Former India captain and World Cup winner Kris Srikkanth has thrown his support behind Ravindra Jadeja, insisting that the veteran all-rounder still has an important role to play in India’s ODI plans despite his recent struggles in the format. Jadeja was notably left out of India’s squad for the ongoing three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, a decision that came after a disappointing run of performances earlier this year.

India currently lead the series 1-0 following their convincing seven-wicket victory in the rain-affected opener in Dharamsala. The experienced all-rounder has endured a difficult phase in 50-over cricket, failing to take a wicket in ODIs this year. However, Srikkanth believes Jadeja’s vast experience, match-winning ability and overall value to the side make him too important to be discarded ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup 2027.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, ‘Cheeky Cheeka’, Kris Srikkanth said India should continue to view Jadeja as a key all-round option alongside Hardik Pandya and the emerging Nitish Kumar Reddy.

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“Jadeja cannot be written off yet because he is a brilliant cricketer. Nitish Kumar Reddy is still developing as an all-rounder. Once Hardik Pandya returns, it will be a battle between him and Nitish for one spot, but Jadeja should remain the other all-rounder. He needs to start performing again, but it would be foolish to write him off completely,” Kris Srikkanth stated.

Jadeja has been one of India’s most dependable performers across formats for well over a decade, contributing with both bat and ball in countless victories. While questions remain over his future, Srikkanth believes his pedigree deserves respect and patience.

The former India opener also backed Rohit Sharma to continue leading India’s ODI plans heading into the 2027 World Cup. Despite Rohit’s run-out dismissal in the first ODI against Afghanistan, Srikkanth feels there is no reason to discuss an exit as long as the opener continues scoring runs consistently.

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“Everything depends on form. Rohit has been scoring runs in ODIs, looks fit and is timing the ball beautifully. There’s no need to rush into decisions. The next few months should be used to identify the best combination, and by early next year India should have a pool of around 20 players ready for the World Cup,” he added.

With the second ODI scheduled in Lucknow, India will be aiming to seal the series, while Afghanistan face a must-win situation to keep the contest alive.