Only a few days ago, former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Nayan Mongia highlighted how the rapid evolution of T20 cricket has transformed player skill sets across the country. The veteran of 44 Tests and 140 ODIs said that multi-dimensionality has become essential for long-term survival in the national side. “Who would have thought that you would get so many options in 10 years? That you have one ready, another ready, and a third ready. Today, a wicketkeeper like Dhruv Jurel is playing as a batter. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson can also play purely as batters. Who would have thought this revolution would come in a decade? It is the gift of T20 cricket because everyone wants to keep, bat, and become an all-rounder,” he said on Doordarshan.
India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal seems to have taken a cue from that trend. He has been working on wicketkeeping as a back-up skill alongside batting and leg-spin, Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad revealed on Thursday. Ahead of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season, pictures have surfaced of Jaiswal putting in the hard yards behind the stumps. Jaiswal will be available for Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy opener against Chandigarh, starting at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. However, he will not be available from the second game onwards because of his national commitments.
“With Yashasvi, I feel he is trying hard to start keeping wickets. That’s what I heard from him. He wants to keep wickets for Mumbai or for the Indian team. That is what he is aiming for, that is what I feel, but I haven’t got any clarity on that,” Lad said during Mumbai’s pre-season press conference.
In the past, former India captain Rahul Dravid started as specialist batter but then took up wicketkeeping role to add another dimension to his role in the Indian ODI team. If Jaiswal makes steady progress in wicketkeeping, then the whole equation in the Indian cricket team might change.
The newly appointed Mumbai captain later told news agency PTI that the 24-year-old Jaiswal, who also practises leg-spin in the Indian team’s nets and has rolled his arm over in a couple of matches, wants to add more dimensions to his game.
“He is someone who has started practising wicketkeeping because he feels he wants to add something more to his game. I am not very sure what his intentions are, but right now he is practising wicketkeeping, and if he keeps practising, he will get used to it,” Lad responded to a PTI query later.
Jaiswal is said to have kept wicket for about 10 overs during one of Mumbai’s practice matches ahead of the Ranji Trophy. Lad said having Jaiswal would benefit the Mumbai team, which will be without their former captain Shardul Thakur, while former skipper Ajinkya Rahane has also retired from all forms of cricket before the start of the season.
“I think he is available only for the first game, if I am not wrong. But someone like Yashasvi doesn’t just add performances; he adds value to the team with his experience,” Lad said.
“He is someone who has done really well at the highest level. Sharing a dressing room with someone like Yashasvi also helps the youngsters, and we are looking forward to it,” he added.
With PTI inputs
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