Still only 18, Yashasvi Jaiswal has the world at his feet as India’s next superstar batsman.
Joining a burgeoning queue of Indian batting talents who made their marks at the ICC U19 World Cup, Jaiswal’s rags to riches story has already been splashed across several news outlets in the country.
With his humble family roots from a small town in Uttar Pradesh, Jaiswal’s relentless perseverance and dedication to cricket has seen the youngster already carve a big name for himself in a country which is completely obsessed with the sport.
He initially broke into the limelight with a sensational all-round display in a 2015 Giles Shield (minor cricket) inter-school match in Mumbai. Registering an unbeaten 302 while also picking up 13 wickets with the ball, Jaiswal’s performance kickstarted a development trajectory very similar to that of fellow Mumbai batting prodigy Prithvi Shaw.
Since then, the left-handed batsman has bagged the man-of-the-tournaments awards in the U19 Asia Cup, as well as the U19 World Cup held in South Africa earlier this year. In between, he has also made his first-class and List A debuts for Mumbai.
Last year, he made headlines when, at 17, he became the youngest player to score a List A double ton. Against a Jharkhand bowling attack which included the India capped duo of Varun Aaron and Shahbaz Nadeem, Jaiswal smashed 203 off just 154 deliveries to write his name into the record books.
It was the third ton in the competition for Jaiswal in just his fifth match, and it underlined the immense talent he possesses. His most recent exploits in the U19 World Cup has only increased the hype surrounding his cricketing development and future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put the brakes on all cricket for now, but Jaiswal is not one to lose his focus.
“Whatever I can do at home right now, I am doing,” the youngster told Sport360 over the phone.
“You cannot predict when this will end. But when it does, the cricket will start all of a sudden. So, I need to be ready.”
In the U19 World Cup, Jaiswal was in sublime form and unfortunate to end up with a runners-up medal after a fine individual campaign. Half-centuries in every match bar one, including an unbeaten ton against Pakistan in the semi-final and an 85 against Bangladesh in the final, were the southpaw’s returns with the bat.
The U19 World Cup has proved to be the launching pad for several stars such as Virat Kohli, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill. Players who make a name in the competition go on to play for India more often that not, and as such, Jaiswal is widely being tipped to follow suit.
While the expectations from Jaiswal have been greatly raised and a future India call-up seems all but a formality at this rate, the teenager is keeping him feet firmly planted on the ground.
“I honestly don’t think about it [about a future India debut],” he said.
“There is no point in worrying about what will happen tomorrow. If I start living in tomorrow, I will only spoil my today.
“I only concentrate on the present, whatever will happen in the future, I will deal with it when it happens. Right now, you can’t say what will happen in the future.”
Great expectations can also bring added pressure, and not every starlet has been able to cope with the hype. Some, like former India U19 skipper Unmukt Chand, have quickly faded away into obscurity after being put in the spotlight.
Jaiswal, however, is unfazed by the increasing attention.
“I have never thought of it like that,” he explained.
“What I can do, is target the next level of my development. When you play in the U14s, you are thinking about moving to the U16s.
“When you start for the U16s, you target playing the U19s next. So, I have always been taking it step by step.”
If not for the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaiswal would be turning out for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL right now after bagging a lucrative contract with the franchise in the auction. It would have given him the chance to rub shoulders with batting greats such as Steve Smith and Jos Buttler, while also providing him with another platform to strut to his talents.
Jaiswal, though, is taking it all in his stride.
“While I would have obviously loved to play in the IPL, it is not really the top of my concerns right now,” he said.
“What is happening all over India and in the world, that needs to be taken care of first. Cricket will always go on, but it can wait for now. Right now, all we need is for the coronavirus to be tackled.”
Although cricket remains on hold for now, Jaiswal is glad to have joined a franchise which has a history of promoting young talent.
“I feel they are the right team. I am very happy that I have signed with them,” he stated.
“The entire franchise has been very supportive of me since the start and they are always in contact with me. Despite what is happening currently all over the world, we still remain in touch and talk. I really appreciate this about them.”
Most of Jaiswal’s exploits so far have come in limited-overs cricket and the youngster has made just the one first-class appearance so far for Mumbai. While he aspires to be an all-format batsman, red-ball cricket still remains his priority.
“Test cricket is the best in my opinion,” he remarked.
“But I do love playing all three formats and want to be an all-format player,” Jaiswal added.
When asked which are the current batsmen he admires most in the game, the teen’s reply is prompt.
“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma,” he said.
If he can achieve just half the success his two idols have achieved over the course of his career, Jaiswal will have done well for himself. There is still a long way to go yet for the 18-year-old, but the early signs so far are extremely promising.
From having slept in a tent at the iconic Maidan in Mumbai, to pursuing his cricket dreams and selling panipuris, Jaiswal commitment to the sport has always been exemplary. His hunger to learn still remains as strong as ever for a sport that has been his calling from the very start.
“I haven’t really thought about anything else apart from cricket. Cricket has been my only passion and it is the only thing I know,” Jaiswal said.
“I think I need to improve in all areas currently. I wouldn’t say I am perfect in anything yet. There is a lot still to learn and I need to keep getting better.”
