Former Indian all-rounder and commentator Irfan Pathan has backed the opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal to get chances in the forthcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies as part of India’s plans for the ODI World Cup 2027.
Speaking to JioHotstar, Pathan reckoned the West Indies series will let Indian test its bench strength, with many regulars unavailable because the schedule overlaps with the Asian Games 2026.
“This is not the main team against the West Indies for the ODIs, and I feel that’s the right way to go. Bumrah is not there, Shreyas, Axar, and Washington Sundar are all playing at the Asian Games. You are going to get only a few matches before the World Cup next year, and in those games, you want to test your bench strength as well,” Irfan Pathan told JioHotstar.
“With the Asian Games and the West Indies series happening simultaneously, it’s a blessing in disguise, where a lot of young boys will definitely get a chance,” he added.
Further, Pathan believes India should give the back-up opener Jaiswal enough game time before the World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027. In his last ODI, Jaiswal delivered a stellar performance by scoring an unbeaten 110 runs off just 86 balls against Afghanistan earlier in June.
“One player I will have my eyes on, in terms of the number of opportunities he gets in this one-day series against the West Indies, is Yashasvi Jaiswal. He is the backup opener in the squad, and by the time you reach South Africa for the World Cup, your backup opener should have had enough opportunities,” he said.
“So, whenever there is an opportunity, I would want to see him playing regularly. Obviously, you will have to think about how you create those opportunities, whether you shuffle the batting order or rotate the players, but I hope he gets his chances against the West Indies,” he concluded.
