'Opportunity aayega, mehnat kar': Virat Kohli to Vishal Jayswal after falling to left-arm spinner | EXCLUSIVE

NEW DELHI: Vishal Jayswal was an unknown name until he claimed the most prized wicket of his cricketing career — Virat Kohli - a dismissal that instantly etched his name into the record books.


Jayswal tempted Kohli out of the crease, spinning the ball sharply past the outside edge and the wicketkeeper made no mistake and whipped off the bails to send the well-set Delhi batter back for 77.



While Gujarat narrowly lost the thriller by seven runs, the moment belonged to the young spinner, who was embraced by teammates for his unforgettable breakthrough.

As the rest of the Gujarat players headed back to the dressing room, Jayswal lingered. He requested the umpire for the match ball — the one with which he had dismissed Kohli.

Ball in hand, he nervously walked towards the Delhi dressing room. Spotting Kohli, he hesitated. Kohli noticed him, smiled, and said: “Aaja, aaja” (Come in).

A nervous Jayswal pulled the ball out of his pocket and said: “Bhaiya, ball pe ek autograph chahiye” (Please give me an autograph).

Kohli put his kit aside, asked Jayswal to sit down, and made him comfortable before signing the ball.

“Achha ball daalta hai. Hard work karta rah. Opportunity aayega, wait kar and mehnat kar [You bowl really well. Keep working hard. Your opportunity will come — be patient and keep putting in the effort],” Kohli told him.

Jayswal admitted the pressure of bowling to a modern day great.

“I didn’t have any specific plan against him. He’s a legend of the game. Just bowling to him is a huge moment, and there’s immense pressure when he’s at the crease. I spoke to him and he gave me a lot of tips, how to remain calm under pressure, fitness etc,” Jayswal said, during an exclusive chat with TimesofIndia.com.

“Of course, I’m really happy to have dismissed him. Having a wicket like that next to your name is very special,” the spin allrounder said.

INSPIRED BY AXAR PATEL
Like Axar Patel, Jayswal hails from Nadiad in Gujarat’s Kheda district and began his cricket journey at the same academy where Team India’s T20I vice-captain took his first steps.

Jayswal lost his father when he was just eight months old.

As he grew older, cricket became his passion, and he told his mother of his dream to become a professional cricketer. The road was far from easy, but his mother stood firmly by him.

“The journey was extremely tough, but whatever I am today is because of my mother,” said Jayswal, who finished as the highest wicket-taker in the 2022–23 CK Nayudu Trophy.

“Taking her to the awards function was one of the proudest moments of my life.”

According to Jayswal, Axar has played a crucial role in shaping his career.

“Axar bhai has helped me immensely — from my cricket kit to jerseys and bats. I look up to him as an inspiration and mentor,” he said.

“I’ve always wanted to be a spin-bowling all-rounder like him. He teaches me how to be a game-changer — when to attack, how to control the run rate, and how to stay mentally strong.”

Recalling Axar’s advice, Jayswal added with a smile: “He always tells me: ‘Batting mein dhyaan sirf ball pe rakho, aur bowling mein batsman ke pair aur wickets pe.’ Those tips have helped me a lot.”




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