'You Don't Leave Mumbai, Especially At This Age': Wasim Jaffer Baffled By Yashasvi Jaiswal's Goa Switch
Jaiswal, who has represented Mumbai ever since his U14 days, made the decision to switch allegiance to Goa, leaving many including Jaffer perplexed.
Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s decision to shift allegiance from Mumbai to Goa has stirred up a storm, and former batter Wasim Jaffer seems to be one of those people who have been perplexed by the young southpaw’s decision.
Jaiswal, who has represented Mumbai ever since his U14 days, made the choice to take up Goa’s offer to represent them following some differences with the Mumbai team management.
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“No matter what Goa was offering him. You don’t leave Mumbai, especially at this age," Jaffer said.
“It’s okay if somebody is 34-35 then you want to go out," he added.
“That differences with Mumbai team management must have prompted him to take this decision, but I think leaving Mumbai is a shocking decision," the 47-year-old said.
“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," the former batter continued.
Jaiswal, who has made his mark in the famous blue kit in the past few years, looks to have garnered support from across the nation in his pursuit of shouldering the opening for Team India across formats moving forward and Jaffer said that someone with the quality of the 23-year-old batter should target a spot in all three formats of the game.
“But 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. I’m sure it (the move) is playing on his mind. Because that has been happening in this week or two," said Jaffer.
That fifty against PBKS, coming off 40 balls, was Jaiswal’s slowest fifty in the IPL. It also had 12 dot balls, which indicated that Jaiswal is still trying to find his best form.
Jaiswal made a brilliant 67 runs aginst Punjab Kings on Saturday for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 to help his side clinch a much-needed victory. The southpaw had a tough run of form for the Royals early on in the season, but put it all behind him with the match-winning innings against Punjab.
“But yes, runs from him is very, very vital for Rajasthan Royals. He’s looking a little bit off-colour; trying too hard, trying too hard, too early. He was still looking to hit the ball really hard. He hit five sixes and three fours, so that’s a high boundary rate, but still played a lot of dot balls. It didn’t look like he was finding his form," added Jaffer.
Former South African wicketkeeper-batter Mark Bouncher, also echoed Jaffer’s opinion on Jaiswal trying to power his way into form.
“Getting to fifty, I think he faced close to 40 balls. Then the next five balls after that, he was at an incredible strike rate. It’s almost like he just needed to be there for another two or three overs in order for him to have that match-winning innings that we all know he is very capable of, and he has done in the past," the Protea said.
Jaiswal’s innings was brought to an end by Lockie Ferguson as the Kiwi pacer castled the Indian opener to give his side a breakthrough.
“He’ll be quite disappointed to get out when he did actually get out. It was at that point where it was the tipping edge for him to play a very significant knock," Boucher concluded.
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