Yashasvi Jaiswal is ‘here to dominate, not survive’ | Cricket
Yashasvi Jaiswal presented his India A cap to his childhood coach and guardian Jwala Singh only to get it back immediately with a huge challenge: “When you give me the cap of the senior Indian team, I will wear it (I will wear it only if you bring me the senior Indian team cap).”
Yashasvi is 21 years old. But he has learned from childhood to accept challenges, overcome obstacles with grit and determination. Failure was never an option. From sleeping in a tent when he was only 13 From representing India in the U19 World Cup, scoring centuries for India A and becoming an integral part of the Rajasthan Royals set-up in the IPL, Yashasvi has come a long way. But as Singh said, he is still a long way from his goal. However, he has made huge strides towards regaining that India cap with power-packed performances in this IPL.
Yashasvi scored his highest IPL score (77 off 43) against Chennai Super Kings on Thursday and was awarded player of the match – his second of the season – in RR’s comfortable 32-run win that saw them top the table. delivered. This is Yashasvi’s fourth year in the IPL. While he had a stellar run in the latter half of last season and in 2021 as well, where he scored 249 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 148, he looks closer to his best this year.
The left-handed batsman has so far scored 304 runs in 8 matches including three half-centuries. His strike rate of 147.57 is one of the best among openers in IPL 2023. The fact is that he came into the T20 league on the back of innings of 213 and 144 in the Irani Cup match against Madhya Pradesh.
‘The Genius of a Generation’
Mithali Raj said, “The batsman who has impressed me the most is Yashasvi Jaiswal of Rajasthan Royals.” Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody called Yashasvi Jaiswal a generational talent. He tweeted, “21 year old Yashasvi Jaiswal is a generational talent, a genuine all-format player. Team India is waiting for a gem.”
But it was not always so smooth for the young man who traveled to Mumbai from Bhadohi – a town in Uttar Pradesh – at the age of 11 with dreams of playing cricket at the highest level. In his first IPL season in 2020, he was dropped after just three matches. the reason? Opening with a strike rate of 90, scored only 40 runs. Singh, a former Mumbai junior cricketer, came to his rescue several times since his teenage years.
“There was a big difference in level (from U-19 to IPL). We realized he can’t play for survival, he has to dominate,” Singh said. Since then, Yashasvi has had a strike rate of 148, 133 and 147 in the last three editions of the IPL. I called some throwdown specialists and asked them to bowl from a short distance and asked them to play aggressive shots.
There was one more minor technical adjustment. Yashvi has had a major trigger movement in the past, which restricted her reflexes. Come 2023, he is standing firm with his head steadier than ever. Singh said, “The early movement is there to help you react, not to restrict or commit to a particular stroke. Too much movement before the ball is delivered never helps.”
“But sir, won’t it affect my batting technique?” asked a worried Yashasvi, who by then had achieved a fair amount of success in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy. Singh’s challenge now was to convince the left-handed batsman to make a mental adjustment. “This is the need of the hour. You cannot play defensive cricket as an opener. You have to strike first and let the opposition know that you are not here to hide but to expose. If you have a good first Then the pace is set,” Singh told Yashasvi.
The result is telling. No other batsman has hit more boundaries in the first over in IPL 2023 than Yashasvi. He hit three fours in the first over against CSK on Thursday. He hit five fours in the first over against DC. Such has been the prowess of the young left-hander in the powerplay that he has at times outdone his dynamic opening partner Jos Buttler. Former India cricketer Murali Karthik said in the commentary, “They made Butler look like a snail.” “When he gets going, he gets over (Jos) Buttler in the first six overs at times. For a youngster to bat alongside an international star who is one of the best in this format and he overshadowing something remarkable,” said. Mitali.
learn from the best
Yashasvi has learned a lot from Butler.Brother, He has been opening the batting with the white-ball captain of England for four seasons now. Singh said, “He is really lucky to have a stalwart like Jos at the other end. He takes his advice very seriously and has developed a cordial relationship. RR coach Kumar Sangakkara also works with him a lot.”
Butler and Sangakkara are not the only legends with whom he has forged a bond while playing in the IPL. He has been seen interacting with MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after matches. “I keep talking to senior players like Dhoni sir and Virat Brother, I enjoy pressure and want to be there when the pressure is on,” Yashasvi said.
However, Yashasvi is far from being a finished product. He has great numbers in the first six overs but slows down considerably after that and almost all his victims after the powerplay have come in the middle overs trying to play aggressive shots against medium pacers. With an average of just 9 against fast bowlers after the powerplay, the intent is there but the execution is far from over. Coach Singh’s last message to Yashasvi was read out: “Your best is yet to come.”
