Yashasvi Jaiswal’s place in India’s playing XI is facing significant uncertainty. According to reports, star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to open in the upcoming match against Ireland on June 5, meaning Jaiswal will have to bide his time for an opportunity. Despite showing promise, Jaiswal’s inconsistent performance during the IPL—starting rough, regaining form in the middle, but failing to finish strong—has contributed to his omission.

India is prioritizing the inclusion of an extra all-rounder, which has further complicated Jaiswal’s chances of making the starting XI. However, former cricketer Ian Bishop disagrees with this strategy. He believes Jaiswal deserves a spot at the top of the order.

The cricketer-turned-commentator argues that Jaiswal’s current form justifies his inclusion in India’s squad. Additionally, Bishop highlights the tactical advantage of having a left-hand batter in the top order, which India currently lacks.

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“There has been a little bit of concern with his [Jaiswal’s] form in the IPL. But if you think his form is good enough to be in the team, then I want Jaiswal at the top, particularly because he is left-handed. If Jaiswal is in that XI, he brings quality when he is in form, and also the left-handedness. So you’re asking different questions of the bowling opposition,” Ian Bishop was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Interestingly, Virat Kohli missed the warm-up game against Bangladesh, during which the team management experimented with Sanju Samson at the top of the order instead of Jaiswal. This decision hints that the team management may not see Jaiswal as their primary option for the T20 World Cup.

However, should either Kohli or Rohit underperform, Jaiswal might get his chance to prove himself. Meanwhile, skipper Rohit Sharma has emphasized the importance of all-rounders, noting the variety of options available to the team.

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Ahead of the match against Ireland, the 37-year-old mentioned that given the conditions, spin all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel could have an advantage. This focus on all-rounders indicates the team’s strategy to bolster both batting and bowling depth, potentially at the expense of specialist batsmen like Jaiswal.