Cheteshwar Pujara discusses Indian cricket selection and squad depth

Former Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has shared insights regarding the selection dynamics within the Indian national ODI squad. Pujara noted that Ravindra Jadeja may face a limited future in white-ball cricket, suggesting that Axar Patel has established himself as the primary all-rounder. He indicated that team management might be encouraging Jadeja to focus on Test cricket given his age and recent exclusions from ODI series.

Abhishek Nayar described Jadeja as an “insurance policy” for the team, noting that he remains the most likely candidate to step in should Axar Patel face injury before the World Cup.

Pujara also addressed the limited ODI appearances of bowler Kuldeep Yadav, attributing his bench role to a lack of batting depth. He explained that for successful overseas campaigns, India requires players at the number seven and eight positions who can contribute with the bat. While Kuldeep is a strong bowler, his limited batting capability makes it difficult for him to compete with all-round options in the lower-middle order.