MUMBAI: There was some amount of struggle that
Yashasvi Jaiswal experienced as a budding cricketer on the maidans of the city. After his parents left the city, he was forced to live in a tent for sometime, and even sell ‘paanipuris’ in the evening for survival. However, his fortunes changed completely when his mentor and coach Jwala Singh took him to his home and honed his talent.
Consistent scores in inter-school cricket, and an exposure tour with former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar’s academy to England saw him break into the Mumbai under-16 side, and from then on, he kept climbing up the ladder rapidly.
In February 2020, Jaiswal took the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa by storm, rattling off five fifties. His scores read: 88, 105*, 62, 57*, 29*, 59 as he finished the tournament as the highest run-getter (400 runs@133.33) and with the ‘Player of the Series’ trophy in his kitbag.
Just before that, in December 2019, the Rajasthan Royals bought him for Rs 2.4 cr at the IPL auction. After three IPLs with the franchise, which is known to invest in budding cricketers, the 21-year-old is coming of age in grand style.
His blistering 62-ball 124-run knock against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night may have ultimately come in a losing cause, but Jaiswal won plenty of hearts with his scintillating strokeplay.
Lavishing praise on Jaiswal, Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara, Director of Cricket at Royals, said: “He is not just extremely talented but really hard-working. He spends a lot of time in preparation, in the nets working on his game. He has worked on his game for 3-4 years with us and it just shows that he is very focused and driven and the results are showing. He played beautifully to bat almost entirely through the innings which was exceptional. Yash has a long way to go not just with us but also internationally. He needs to keep working hard, keep producing runs and knocking on the door.”
Talking about what mantra he has passed on to Jaiswal for this IPL season, Sangakkara said, "[Our conversations are] about playing good shots, trusting his ability and reading the game situation really well. And when he does get a start, about maximising [his stay] and to keep that intent going throughout the innings. Before this season he hadn't batted much outside the powerplay. But today and in the previous game, he showed that when he keeps his intent going and is looking for boundaries and knows his scoring areas, he has the ability to play the big innings for us."
On a night when RR’s big guns Jos Buttler, skipper Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer all seemed to be struggling for timing, Jaiswal was on fire, contributing 124 out of his team’s total of 212.
A noticeable feature of the youngster’s phenomenal innings was the power that he generated while thrashing eight sixes and 16 fours-a Jofra Archer ball that he hooked for a six travelled out of the Wankhede. Even though his team was at the receiving end of his sizzling blade, MI skipper Rohit Sharma was effusive in his praise for Jaiswal.
"I watched him (Jaiswal) last year, he's taken it to the next level. I asked him 'where did you get the power from'. He said he's been going to the gym, that's good for him, India and RR," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.
Amongst the spectators fortunate to have witnessed Jaiswal’s spectacular innings at the Wankhede was Jwala Singh, who went to the Wankhede after being invited by Jaiswal to watch him bat.
“He called me early in the morning and asked me to come to watch the match. I told him that I will come, but you’ve to make me feel proud. There was only one previous occasion when I had gone to the stadium to watch him bat-when he scored a hundred against Pakistan in the semi-final of the Under-19 World Cup in February 2020. By the time I reached the ground, he was batting on 92. It was a very proud moment for me to see his slam his maiden IPL century. Since his childhood, he completes whatever task I give him. I’m very happy. To play like that on a big stage, against a team like MI, this was the best T20 innings of his life,” Jwala told TOI.
This is turning out to be a breakout IPL season for the left-handed opener. In 9 games so far, Jaiswal has cracked 428 runs@47.55 at a phenomenal strike rate of 159.70, and at the time of writing this, is the ‘Orange Cap’ holder for being the highest run-getter. He has smashed 56 fours-the most by anyone in this edition, besides tonking 18 sixes. “A few days back, I had told him that ‘You are into your fifth year in the IPL. You’ve to bat like a mature cricketer now, and not get out in 20s and 40s. He told me that he’s giving off his best. I told him that ‘your best is yet to come,’” Jwala said, while adding: “I hope he keeps performing like this in future too.”
Jwala clarified that all the stories struggle that keep being harped about Jaiswal is before he met the latter at Azad Maidan. “It’s not always good to keep talking about his struggles. He may have struggled in life, but not after I came into his life. When I met him for the first time, on December 17, 2013 at Azad Maidan, he was 12, and he told me that he stays alone in a tent there. His parents were in Uttar Pradesh. I felt pity for him, and then I asked him about his performances (in inter-school cricket) till then, which I liked. Once I was confirmed that he’s a good player, I took him home. He stayed with me like a family member for eight years. When I got married in 2013, I told my wife, ‘I need to turn this boy into an India cricketer. I too wanted to play for India when I came to Mumbai, but couldn’t do so, but I want to help this boy. You have to help me.’ His parents had made me his guardian. Now, his parents are in Mumbai. Both he and I have worked hard on his cricket. He would get up early in the morning and practice. I gave him all the facilities needed to become a cricketer-accommodation, food and equipments, and he showed the dedication to make the best use of them,” Jwala said.
Jaiswal is now the fifth Indian uncapped player to have hit a century in the IPL. The buzz around over his impending selection in the Indian team is getting louder and louder.
(AI image)
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