Wasim Jaffer on Jaiswals decision to play for Goa in domestic season

New Delhi [India] April 6 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer believed that Yashasvi Jaiswal should be focused on playing for India in all three formats rather than playing the Ranji Trophy. He emphasized that Jaiswal is at an age where he should be striving for higher goals and that leaving Mumbai, especially at this age, is not a wise decision.

“He shouldn’t be looking to play Ranji Trophy. For somebody like him, he should be playing for India in all three formats. That should be his focus. No matter what Goa was offering him. You don’t leave Mumbai, especially at this age [Jaiswal is 23] it’s okay if somebody is 34-35 then you want to go out,” Wasim Jaffer said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

In October 2019, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the 50-overs domestic competition, Jaiswal racked up scores of 113, 22, 122, 203 and 60 not out, his run only coming to an end when rain knocked Mumbai out of the competition. The following year, he was India’s batting mainstay in the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, where he was the Player of the Tournament, and the team finished as runners-up.

Jaffer is surprised by Jaiswal’s decision to leave Mumbai, considering his long-standing association with the team and the fact that Goa is a relatively weaker team. He believed that Jaiswal, a player of his caliber, should be focusing on playing for a stronger team and continuing his development at that level.

“That must have prompted him to take this decision, but I think leaving Mumbai is a shocking decision. He’s a powerhouse. Somebody who has played from Under-14s to now, for Mumbai, and Goa being a plate-group team that has just come into the elite group – for him to go and play there, whatever time he will spend on first-class cricket, I am surprised he’s taken that decision so soon,” he added.

Indian batter Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to quit his domestic side Mumbai and switch to Goa ahead of the 2025-26 domestic cricket season. He has secured a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

Jaiswal has played 36 first-class matches since his debut in 2019, scoring 3,712 runs at an incredible average of 60.85, with 13 centuries. During his first full-fledged Ranji Trophy season back in 2021-22, he scored 498 runs in three matches and six innings, averaging 83.00 with three centuries and a fifty.

He played a crucial role in Mumbai’s run to the final. He has also played 33 List-A games, scoring 1,526 runs at an average of 52.62 with five centuries and 3,012 runs in T20s at an average of 31.05, strike rate of over 149, three centuries and 17 fifties.

Jaiswal, who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has finally found his touch in the match against the Punjab Kings, scoring 67 runs. In earlier matches, he was struggling to get a big score under his belt. (ANI)