Despite his Test heroics and an initial one-match ODI debut, Kotak confirms Jaiswal must show patience as only 11 can take the field.
October 22, 2025: Young batting sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal is continuing his run of warming the bench, with Indian team management signalling that the explosive left-hander will likely have to wait for his turn despite a growing chorus of support for his inclusion.
India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, addressed the persistent questions about Jaiswal’s selection ahead of the second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, scheduled for Thursday (October 23).
Jaiswal, part of India’s ODI squad for the ongoing series, went unused in the first match and appears set to miss out again as the team management backs its established opening pair.
“You Have to Wait for Your Turn”
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Adelaide on Wednesday, Kotak was non-committal but dropped a strong hint that a change in the top order is unlikely for now. While not completely ruling out Jaiswal’s selection, his comments focused on the reality of being a squad member.
“I think he’s in the squad, in the practice, and they (other youngsters) are pretty much aware that their turn will come, and they prepare well,” Kotak stated. “At the end of the day, only 11 can play, so you have to wait for your turn and then perform.”
Jaiswal, who is India’s highest-ranked Test batter, plays as an opener across all three formats. However, the ODI opening slots are currently occupied by captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, who are ranked No. 3 and No. 1, respectively, in the ICC ODI rankings.
Backing the Star Openers
Despite both Gill and Rohit failing to register significant scores in the first ODI, their standing in the international game makes dropping them after a single failure a highly improbable move for the Indian management.
Jaiswal’s only previous ODI appearance came on February 6, 2025, against England in Nagpur, where he filled in for an unavailable Virat Kohli. He was subsequently dropped when Kohli returned for the next match, highlighting the current selection dilemma where he is seen as a cover for the established batting heavyweights.
As things stand, a chance for Jaiswal to feature in the playing XI seems contingent only on an injury to one of the incumbent batters—a scenario which is not currently present. For the talented Mumbai batter, the wait for a regular spot in the 50-over format continues.