Jaiswal sends strong signal: Eyes set on 2026 T20 World Cup

Despite strong T20 credentials, Yashasvi Jaiswal feels overlooked and sends a direct message to selectors as India prepares its squad for the 2026 home World Cup.

Team India’s young left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal has spoken openly about his ambition to become a full-time all-format player for India, making it clear that he wants a place in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, which will be hosted in India next year.

Jaiswal, who is currently part of India’s Test and ODI setup, said he is eager to return to the shortest format and hopes selectors will consider him. His statement has been widely viewed as a direct message to the team management, especially as the T20 World Cup selection process intensifies.

Even though Jaiswal’s aggressive and fearless batting style fits perfectly into T20 cricket, he has not been included in recent T20 squads. The disappointment is evident, as he believes he has done enough to be in contention.

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India’s blueprint for the T20 World Cup is almost ready under coach Gautam Gambhir, and the squads for the South Africa and New Zealand T20 series are expected to form the core of the World Cup team.

 Since Jaiswal was not selected for the South Africa series, the possibility of him being picked for the World Cup has become uncertain.

Jaiswal’s path to the T20 squad is tough. To secure a place, he must outperform Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson, all of whom are key contenders and currently preferred in the T20 setup. Their strong presence makes his entry challenging.

Strong T20 Record, Yet No Place

Despite being sidelined, Jaiswal’s T20 numbers are exceptional:
•    23 T20Is: 1 century, 5 fifties, 165 strike rate
•    IPL: 2 centuries, 15 fifties, strike rate above 150

With such strong stats, his absence from the T20 squad remains difficult to understand.

After the ongoing South Africa T20 series, India will play five T20Is against New Zealand in January 2026. Reports suggest that the squad for this series may be the same one used for the T20 World Cup. His World Cup dream may depend on whether he gets selected for that tour.

For now, Jaiswal remains hopeful, saying his dream is to represent India in all formats. Whether that dream becomes reality in the upcoming T20 World Cup will be known in the next few weeks.