Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 27: Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has praised the selectors for including young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Despite not having played an ODI match yet, Raina believes Jaiswal is more than ready for the big stage.
Following his strong performances in T20Is and Tests, Jaiswal earned a place in the Champions Trophy squad alongside openers Shubman Gill and captain Rohit Sharma. Speaking to Star Sports about Jaiswal’s selection, Raina commended the young cricketer’s determination and dedication.
“I think that boy is very hungry for runs. Looking at his story, it’s clear he’s worked hard to reach this level,” Raina said. “Hats off to the selectors, especially to Rohit Sharma. Taking him to the Champions Trophy without an ODI under his belt shows the belief in his abilities. His dedication and work ethic are commendable.”
Raina went on to highlight Jaiswal’s attitude and readiness for the challenge. “This boy has come prepared. That’s the beauty of Indian cricket—if you work hard and have the passion to represent your country, there will be something that pushes you to do so. Rohit has done this with Yashasvi,” he added.
Jaiswal has had a remarkable rise, topping the international run charts for India last year with 293 runs in eight T20Is, including two fifties. In total, he scored 1,771 runs in 23 matches at an impressive average of 52.08, including three centuries and 11 fifties. He has also excelled in List-A cricket, with 1,511 runs from 32 matches at an average of 53.96, including five centuries.
The ninth edition of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy will take place in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19 to March 9. The tournament features eight teams playing 15 matches across both countries.
India’s fixtures for the group stage are:
- February 20: India vs Bangladesh, Dubai
- February 23: India vs Pakistan, Dubai
- March 2: India vs New Zealand, Dubai
India Squad for the Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.