Key facts
- Manjrekar calls Jaiswal's squad omission 'harsh'
- Tells selectors: 'Do what's best for India, not Rohit Sharma'
- Questions whether Rohit's inclusion harms India's World Cup 2027 planning
- Reported by Hindustan Times
Sanjay Manjrekar has delivered a sharp rebuke to India's cricket selectors, calling the exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal from the squad 'harsh' and raising uncomfortable questions about whether Rohit Sharma's presence is coming at the cost of India's best available eleven ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
'Do what's best for India, not Rohit Sharma,' Manjrekar said pointedly, in comments reported by Hindustan Times. The former India batsman and prominent commentator did not mince words, framing the Jaiswal snub as a decision that appears to prioritise loyalty to a senior player over meritocratic selection — a charge that will resonate with fans who have watched Jaiswal emerge as one of India's most exciting top-order batters in recent years.
The remarks land at a delicate moment for India's leadership group. Rohit Sharma, though a decorated captain and batsman, has faced questions about form and his place in a side that must begin planning seriously for the 2027 50-over World Cup. Jaiswal, by contrast, has been among India's standout performers, making his omission all the harder to explain on purely cricketing grounds.
Manjrekar's intervention is significant because it moves the conversation from fan forums to a credible public voice. Selectors and team management will now face heightened scrutiny over every future squad announcement, with the Jaiswal situation becoming a litmus test for whether India's selection policy is truly forward-looking — or weighted toward protecting established names.