Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer feels India will have to revamp their batting approach in the white-ball formats and give chances to players who are fearless. Jaffer wants players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma to be in the reckoning for the T20I format in the upcoming West Indies tour.
The trio had impressed in IPL 2023 while playing for their respective franchise. Jaiswal scored 625 runs in 14 matches at an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61. Ergo, he was awarded Emerging Player of the Season for his consistent performances.
Rinku Singh scored 474 runs in 14 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52 in 16th season of the IPL. The left-hander hogged the limelight when he smashed five sixes in a row against Gujarat Titans to take his team to an emphatic win.
On the other hand, Jitesh Sharma scored 309 runs in 14 matches for Punjab Kings at an average of 23.77 and a blistering strike rate of 156.06 in IPL 2023.
Wasim Jaffer said in an interview with Sportskeeda, “India will have to play fearless cricket. Especially in white-ball cricket, you will have to give chances to guys who are fearless because the game is changing now and if India have to win trophies, they will have to adopt that approach.”
“In white-ball cricket, if we talk about especially T20 cricket, I feel Yashasvi Jaiswal is again one of them. Rinku Singh has been brilliant.”
Moreover, Jaffer wants Indian selectors to back Sanju Samson for ODI cricket. Samson has scored 330 runs in 11 ODI matches at an average of 66 but he hasn’t received consistent chances in the 50-over format.
“Jitesh Sharma – Rishabh Pant is currently not there. So Jitesh Sharma could be that guy to replace him, somebody who can bat at No. 5 or No. 6. Sanju Samson could probably come in 50 overs. I feel India will have to try these names.”
India will play two Test matches, three ODIs, and five T20Is on the West Indies tour.
