Yashasvi Jaiswal to replace Ruturaj Gaikwad as standby player in India's squad for WTC final - Reports

Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is reportedly set to place Ruturaj Gaikwad as one of India's standby players for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

Gaikwad is unlikely to travel to the United Kingdom before June 5, as he is tying the knot soon.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the batter has already informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his unavailability.

"He (Jaiswal) will be joining the Indian team as Gaikwad has informed us that he won’t be able to fly due to his marriage," a BCCI official was quoted saying. "He would be able to join the team post-June 5. (But) Coach Rahul Dravid took a call, asking the selectors to pick a replacement. So, Jaiswal will now fly to London soon."

Apart from Ruturaj Gaikwad, the national selectors named Mukesh Kumar and Suryakumar Yadav as the other two standby players for the WTC final.

The summit clash between India and Australia will commence on June 7 onward at the Oval.

While it will be Australia's maiden final, India suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the inaugural WTC final against New Zealand a couple of years ago.

---

Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased tremendous form in IPL 2023

Playing for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), Yashasvi Jaiswal stole the show with his batting exploits in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2023).

With 625 runs from 14 innings at an average of 48.07, the southpaw was the highest run-getter for his team. He smashed one hundred and five fifties and scored runs at a fantastic strike rate of 163.61.

While Yashasvi Jaiswal received widespread praise for his performances, Rajasthan failed to make the cut for the all-important playoffs. They finished fifth in the IPL 2023 points table with seven wins and as many losses.

Jaiswal did reasonably well in this year's Ranji Trophy. Jaiswal mustered 315 runs across nine innings for Mumbai at an average of 45.00.