Will Yashasvi Jaiswal Finally Play His First ODI? India's Squad Choices for England Series and Champions Trophy

India's selectors are doing it again. This time around, they have a rare task: to choose the country's bilateral ODI squad against England and prepare for the Champions Trophy in February 2025. They have played only six ODIs since the 2023 World Cup, and played just three games in 2024, so they aren't really working on enough international form recently. It has left some question in minds of several players, who will form part of Indian squad in future-such players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja

The World Cup saw nearly all the major Indian cricketers playing without a break from one ODI series to the next. Ever since then, very little happened on field for Indians.

Indian had played quite limited ODIs calendar ever since World Cup. Therefore, selectors could not really use new foreign form for too much banging into the team. This time, short though it is, forms an important corollary, with the twin imperative of ensuring the group's needs over the short term of the on-going series dovetail with what is desired in the tour later in 2027. Only a few ODIs India has played-the chance here is to give exposure to varied players to this game, especially who might be eyed for the near future tournament.

The interest level would be pretty high as India would look to answer a lot of questions in players, from being fit and form, with the announcement of the squad ahead.

The T20 set-up has already begun to witness some changes, and the ODI team too might see some new faces and tweaks at a transitionary phase where the Test team is.

The Yashasvi Jaiswal Dilemma

While Yashasvi Jaiswal has remained available for India in cricket persistently, his team has given him no chance in ODI yet. For that matter neither has it gone terrible on the ground after some giant knocks in tests and some decent efforts for his side in domestics. Thus Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have taken along thus far as the opening pair for ODI. Both the players have appeared to be rather great couple together and have mostly flourished in 2023 ODI World Cup; after healing from dengue, Gill also replaced Ishan Kishan on top-order position.

Although not in any ODI, it is through his good showing in days makes him look quite like a darling opener. This boy hadn't played a single ODI yet but somehow is decently good at performing, raising the eyebrows. He scored 1511 runs with an 86.19 strike rate and 54 average in the format of 50 overs. Five centuries and seven half-centuries came out from his 32 innings. He's an asset like this required on top because consistency and domination over bowlers would be ensured from him.

Left-hander, apart from all this, brings an added dimension to the opening partnership so far dominated by right-handed players like Rohit and Gill. If India pick a left-hander into the playing eleven, Jaiswal could well slot into the opening slot and, given his scintillating performance as the top scorer of the recently played Test series against Australia, could well be an easy option.

The role of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

But top order looks in hand, as Rohit Sharma seems all but certain to be the ODI captain and open with Shubman Gill. The questions have been centered around who the middle orderers would be for long if Kohli were shunted further up the order. Now, his being shifted one slot up in the order-the crucial No.3 slot, one which can take a batter on to become his side's game-changer-throws open interesting possibilities, something else that people are debating while talking of sending a new opener with Rohit just before he leaves for tour to England.

Other than Gill, rest of the Indians who are going to South Africa in December 2023 with the ODI team are still battling for their spots. At least at the opener position, someone like Ruturaj Gaikwad and B Sai Sudharsan got his opportunity to bat, and also Rajat Patidar has gotten his opening at an opener's position as well. Till now, no more than one who is similar to at least Rohit and Gill has been witnessed.

Though brilliant in the IPL and other formats of domestic cricket, Gaikwad's one-day format hasn't been that impressive. Sudharsan and Patidar haven't played many games in this format yet so interesting to see how they will come out in the Test format.

Coming to Jadeja's place in the team

While all the limelight was on the opening slots, even the question for Ravindra Jadeja has crept in. It is his all-round skills that have ensured a spot for him in India's limited-overs team for a long time. However, his recent performances might make some room for debate as to whether Jadeja is an ODI man anymore. Going forward, India would do well to peep into if Jadeja stays part of their plans. There's depth of talent which Indian cricket houses across all formats.

Future Prospects-Will it be India's ODI dawn next?

And so many more questions that one needs to have answered as the nation looks to its next set of games. Will Yashasvi Jaiswal make a long-awaited first ODI outing at last? The batman lines up with the very mighty Rohit Sharma at the top? How is India going to balance the well-tested and proved warriors, Jadeja, against young and exciting talent that is bursting out of ranks? Some of the major decisions which selectors have to make while trying to build the team for series in England as well as a way ahead for the 2027 World Cup.

The only grouse Indian selectors might have is merely about some ODI matches which are well past the dates related to 2023 ICC World Cup but, with it, they also possess promising young talent and overall quite commodious talent pool which is serving them in making and determination of the future directions of India Cricket for quite considerable long-term future prospects.