'Need to pick the right ball ' - Former India wicketkeeper urges Yashasvi Jaiswal to improve his shot selection

Published - 21 Nov 2025, 19:01 IST | Updated - 21 Nov 2025, 19:01 IST

Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim has pointed out an area of improvement for Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of the second Test of the ongoing home Test series against South Africa. Jaiswal scored 12 and 0 in the first Test in Kolkata.

Karim praised the left-handed batter's aggressive gameplay but noted that he must be wiser with his shot selection and adapt better to varying conditions.

"The approach is fine, but as you grow as a batter, you also need to be more judicious with your shot selection. I understand that you are a swashbuckling opener and want to maintain an attacking mindset, but you still need to pick the right ball and the right surface to play those shots. I didn't see that in Yashasvi Jaiswal's effort in this Test match (at Eden Gardens)," stated Karim in a show on JioHotstar.

He advised Jaiswal to not have a rigid template and instead be flexible in his approach in every innings. He pointed out to how restlessness got the better of Jaiswal in India's second innings.

"In the second innings, although he got a special delivery from Marco Jansen, what happened in the first innings showed that he was losing patience. He wanted to get off the mark or play big shots very early in his innings because, in his mind, his template is to start quickly and then build later. At times, you need to change your scoring pattern to make big runs and build partnerships. I think that's one area where Yashasvi Jaiswal needs to improve," he added.

India lost the first Test by a 30-run margin after they failed to chase down 124. Jaiswal and the rest will aim to put a better display in Guwahati with the series on the line. The match is scheduled to commence on November 22.

What if Yashasvi Jaiswal played for CSK instead of RR?

Jaiswal had a successful time against West Indies at home recently, as his scores read 36, 175 and 8 in the three innings he played. He also starred in the Ranji Trophy clash against Rajasthan, scoring 67 and 156, respectively. Jaiswal appeared for the First-Class match between the West Indies and South Africa series.