Journey of Yashaswi Jaiswal
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has earned a reputation for nurturing exceptional cricketers from the Indian subcontinent. Each year, we witness the emergence of talented individuals who showcase exceptional skills and garner attention from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selection committee. The IPL has significantly elevated the standards of Indian cricket, setting a high benchmark for players aspiring to secure a spot in the senior national team.
Registering one’s name among the ranks of the senior team is no small feat, underscoring the competitiveness and rigor associated with the selection process.
Yashaswi Jaiswal in the IPL
In IPL 2022, we were introduced to the rise of promising talents such as Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik. As for IPL 2023, Yashaswi Jaiswal has quickly emerged as a headline-grabber due to his exceptional cricketing skills. With his impressive batting performances, he has come close to catching the attention of the selection committee.
Jaiswal has been a consistent performer for the Rajasthan Royals right from the beginning, but this year, he has elevated his game to new heights, showcasing remarkable growth and improvement.
In IPL 2023, Yashaswi Jaiswal showcased his exceptional talent in 9 matches, amassing an impressive total of 428 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 159.70 and an average of 47.56. Notably, he delivered a phenomenal knock of 124 runs against the Mumbai Indians, achieving this feat in just 62 balls. As a result, Jaiswal has garnered recognition and praise from senior players of the Indian national team.
However, the remarkable journey of Yashaswi Jaiswal remains relatively unknown to many. It is not a tale of overnight success; rather, it is a story characterized by years of sacrifice, dedication, and unwavering commitment to his dreams.
Start of his career
Yashaswi Jaiswal was born in Suriyawan, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh. From an early age, Yashaswi started preparing himself to be one of the best cricketers. At the age of 10, he joined Azad Maidan to receive his cricket coaching. Traveling from Dadar to Azad Maidan was not a viable option, Jaiswal took accommodation at a dairy shop in exchange for low-grade work. After losing his accommodation at the dairy shop after a few days, Jaiswal stayed in a tent with the groundsmen. For three years, Jaiswal continued his training at Azad Maidan and was spotted by Jwala Singh who had his academy at Santacruz in Mumbai.
Youth Career
The 14-year-old Yashaswi Jaiswal came gained the spotlight in 2015 when he scored 319 runs not out and picked up 13 wickets by giving 99 runs in a Giles Shield match. It is an all-round record in school cricket which is registered in the Limca Book of Records. Jaiswal also cemented his place in the Mumbai under-16 and eventually in the under-19 squad.
He turned out to be the highest scorer in the under-19 Asia Cup 2018 and helped India to secure the trophy. Not only in the limited-over format, but Jaiswal also struck 173 off 220 balls in a Youth Test match against South Africa under-19s. In the same year, Jaiswal got a confirmed place in India’s U-19 squad for the World Cup in 2020. He was the leading scorer in the tournament and also scored a century and Pakistan.
First Class Cricket and IPL
After registering his accolades in Under-19 cricket, it was now time for Yashaswi to continue the momentum in first-class cricket. His first Ranji Trophy game was in 2019 for Mumbai. He also made his Vijay Hazare trophy debut in the next season for Mumbai during 2019-20. He again gained the spotlight by scoring 2013 runs in 154 balls during a Vijay Hazare fixture against Jharkhand and that made him the youngest centurion debutant. In 6 fixtures, Jaiswal scored 564 runs at an average of 112.80.
Considering his achievements in domestic cricket, it was now time for him to make his debut in the Indian Premier League. During IPL 2020 auctions, Rajasthan Royals bought, and in September 2020, Jaiswal made his IPL debut. However, IPL 2021 turned out to be the best for him as he scored a century and played some fantastic knocks.
As of now, Yashaswi Jaiswal is a crucial player for Rajasthan Royals and because of his performance in IPL 2023, he is knocking on the doors of BCCI and the selection committee for the senior team.