'Not looking at him for white-ball cricket': Is Jadeja's ODI career over?

Former India cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Abhishek Nayar have offered different views on Ravindra Jadeja's future in ODI cricket after the all-rounder was left out of some recent series.

The 37-year-old was not included in India's squad for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, with Axar Patel currently the team's first-choice left-arm finger spinner. With the ODI World Cup a year away and Jadeja missing out on selection for overseas conditions, questions have been raised about his chances of making the squad for the tournament.

Pujara feels Jadeja's exclusion could signal the end of his ODI career, with Axar ahead of him in the team's plans.

"I believe so, because if you want to keep Ravindra Jadeja in ODI cricket, then he should have been selected. I'm sure it was communicated to him that he might not be selected because Axar Patel has been the main all-rounder in ODI cricket and is being given more opportunities. Looking at his age, I feel the team management might have told him that he is now only a part of Test cricket, so he should focus there, and that they are not looking at him for white-ball cricket. So, it could be the end of the road because, obviously, he has retired from T20 Internationals. I feel he might not be selected just for the ODIs," Pujara told JioStar, as quoted by news agency IANS.

Nayar, however, believes Jadeja could still be part of India's plans as a backup for Axar at the World Cup. He described the senior all-rounder as an "insurance policy" for the team in case Axar is unavailable.

"Jaddu might not come back into the team, but if someone gets injured, the first name that will come to mind will be Jaddu. Because after Axar, there is no one. The valid question right now would be: After Axar, who is the frontrunner? Currently, the frontrunner is Axar Patel, and after him, Jaddu is still your insurance policy. If something happens to Axar Patel before the World Cup, Ravindra Jadeja will come into the team," he said on the same show.

India's ODI series against New Zealand begins on November 4. The series will give the team an opportunity to test its combinations against a strong opponent in challenging conditions as it prepares for next year's World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.