Yashasvi Jaiswal remains determined to represent India in the T20 World Cup and even hopes to lead the national side someday. However, he has found himself out of the T20I setup for more than a year, with competition for the opening slot intensifying. The young left-hander last featured in a T20I in July 2024, and with Abhishek Sharma thriving at the top and Shubman Gill backed as the vice-captain, the current squad looks settled heading into the 2026 T20 World Cup. During the Agenda AajTak Conclave, Jaiswal was asked about his consistent exclusion from the shortest-format team. He recalled how he made a statement in ODIs with a century in Visakhapatnam against South Africa and believes he will get his chance again.
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“My dream is to play the T20 World Cup, but I try to focus on my game and will wait for my time,” he said.
India’s rising opener continues to receive praise as an all-format prospect, but for now, he must wait behind an in-form opening pair. The discussion also touched on his long-term ambitions as a player, with Jaiswal making it clear that he wants to take on more responsibility for India in the future.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals are yet to finalize their new captain after trading Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings before the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Although Jaiswal has never captained RR, the franchise has two prominent leadership options available in Ravindra Jadeja and Riyan Parag.
Shubman Gill, despite being backed in the role, is still searching for a significant T20I innings since Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepped away from the format.
Jaiswal to feature in SMAT 2025
Since he is not part of the current T20I squad taking on South Africa, Jaiswal will return to domestic T20 action in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 Super League stage. Mumbai are scheduled to face Hyderabad in their Group B encounter at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on December 12.
Jaiswal last played a T20 match during the IPL 2025 league game against the Chennai Super Kings.
Jaiswal’s T20 career numbers
Across 23 T20Is for India, Jaiswal has accumulated 723 runs at an average of 36.15 with a strike rate of 164.31. His tally includes one century and five half-centuries.
In his overall T20 career, the southpaw has featured in 118 matches, scoring 3,537 runs at an average of 33.05 and a strike rate of 151.67. He has three centuries and 23 fifties to his name.
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