Yashasvi Jaiswal has already made a name for himself in red-ball cricket, but his appearance in the 50-over format for India remains conspicuously limited. Having made his ODI debut in February this year against England, he has played just one match in the format so far. Meanwhile, the ODI side has played many more matches since his debut, meaning he has missed numerous opportunities to cement his place in the XI.

With Shubman Gill now the skipper of the team in the 50-over format, Jaiswal has to compete with Rohit Sharma for the second opening spot. Ahead of the second ODI against Australia at Perth, however, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak highlighted how hard Jaiswal is working on his secondary attributes to break into the Indian team.

What more does he need to do with the bat?

Jaiswal’s red-ball credentials are outstanding — multiple centuries, double-hundreds, and a mature approach to varied conditions. But turning that red-ball brilliance into a white-ball attacking, high-tempo format requires a subtle shift: raising strike-rate without recklessness, adjusting shot selections to field restrictions, and handling the shortened format’s demands.

Batting Coach Sitanshu Kotak said at the press conference ahead of the second ODI at Perth, “He is in the squad and practicing hard. He is aware that his turn will come. So he is preparing well. At the end of the day, only 11 can play, and he knows that he has to keep pushing.”

Why the long wait for a regular ODI spot?

There are a few reasons for this. First, India’s top order is fairly settled, and that means even promising youngsters must wait for a slot to open.

Secondly, News has learnt that selectors seem to want Jaiswal to bring his red-ball dominance into the white-ball format in a convincing way. His List A strike-rate was reported at around 85.97 in 33 matches. The selectors are likely looking for consistency in ODI conditions: a higher strike-rate, the ability to adapt to powerplays, rotating strike in the middle overs, and finishing strongly.

Is he serious about becoming an all-round contributor?

Yes, and that could strengthen his case.

Kotak highlighted Jaiswal’s growing interest in bowling leg-spin: “He has been bowling a lot in the nets during the test match”.

“Jaiswal always puts a leg spin. He wants to bowl more and more. He looks more consistent now. So obviously, he is working more on his bowling. That is a positive sign anyway.”

While he hasn’t taken wickets yet at the international level, the fact that he’s putting in the effort to be dual-skilled adds value in the eyes of selectors and enhances his chances of being picked more regularly.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is very much in the squad and in the frame for India’s ODI team.

With his Test track-record already strong and his T20 numbers solid, the next step is proving himself in the one-day format.