Siddhesh Lad says Yashasvi Jaiswal is practising wicketkeeping for Mumbai
Siddhesh Lad confirmed that Yashasvi Jaiswal is practising wicketkeeping and aims to keep for Mumbai or India, though his long-term intentions remain unclear.
Mumbai captain Siddhesh Lad said Yashasvi Jaiswal has begun practising wicketkeeping because he wants to add another dimension to his game. Jaiswal kept wickets for around 10 overs during one of Mumbai's practice matches ahead of the Ranji Trophy season. Lad said he heard directly from Jaiswal that the opener is aiming to keep for Mumbai or potentially for India.
Jaiswal will be available for Mumbai's Ranji Trophy opener against Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday but will miss subsequent matches due to national commitments. The 24-year-old has also worked on his leg-spin bowling. Lad noted that Jaiswal's experience will benefit a relatively young Mumbai squad missing Shardul Thakur and former captain Ajinkya Rahane.
Lad said he has no clarity on Jaiswal's long-term intentions behind the stumps. The Mumbai captain added that adding a new skill is not a bad idea even if the exact plans remain uncertain.
CricHubb Take
Jaiswal is treating wicketkeeping as an insurance policy rather than a career shift, which makes sense for an opener who already carries India's Test hopes and cannot afford to be one-dimensional.