IPL 2020: Yashasvi Jaiswal, the latest batting sensation in Indian cricket

There is something in the water or the food of Mumbai. It just has a habit of producing some outstanding (or even world-class) cricketers and batsmen in particular. Yashasvi Jaiswal is the latest one.

Here is a cricketer who has hogged all the limelight in the last six to eight months. Every time he has stepped on to the field, he’s made it count, he’s put in big performances. Jaiswal has become the new wonder boy from Mumbai and he has been making all the right noises in the recent past.

It was back in January 2019 that he made his first-class debut for Mumbai. He didn’t a big impact in that game and that remains to be his only first-class game so far. But it’s the way Jaiswal has batted in the 50-over format that has made the world sit up and take notice.

The left-handed opener was already one of the prominent figures in the India Under-19 circuit when he made his List ‘A’ debut while playing for India Under-23s. But it didn’t pan out the way he wanted to as Jaiswal was out for a duck on debut. In his next three innings, Jaiswal made just one fifty and it was a sluggish start for the left-hander.

However, less than a month later, he grabbed headlines and the whole of India got talking about the youngster. The Mumbai opener smashed a double ton in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Jharkhand and became the youngest ever player to score a List ‘A’ double hundred. Jaiswal smoked 17 fours and 12 sixes on his way to 203 which he got off just 154 balls. He became the ninth Indian to score a double century in List ‘A’ cricket.

Jaiswal put on quite the show at the Vijay Hazare Trophy

It was his third ton of the tournament (Vijay Hazare) and he was stepping up when Mumbai needed him the most. In fact, in just six games in that tournament, Jaiswal made 564 runs and was fifth on the leading run-getters list despite playing half the games that most of the others played.

Three hundreds and one half-century to go with the average of 112.80 in that tournament. After the Vijay Hazare, it was now time for Jaiswal to dominate the 2020 edition of the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

400 runs, four half-centuries, one hundred, an average of 133.33 and was never dismissed under fifty. Add to this, three wickets. His scores read (latest to first) - 88, 105 not out, 62, 57 not out, 29 not out and 59. The only time he couldn’t cross fifty was against Japan when India were chasing a paltry total.

Also see – IPL 2020 schedule

These are numbers you dream of. These are stats that make to go to another level and these are stats that make you win man of the series/tournament awards. It did for Jaiswal as well. The 18-year-old who was born in Uttar Pradesh but moved to Mumbai few years back carried the Indian team on his back. But his effort went in vain in the end as the player of the tournament didn’t mean anything to him as India lost the final of the Under-19 World Cup.

Bangladesh U19 v India U19 - Under 19 Tri-series Final

Jaiswal was the one stepping up and delivering for India even in the big games. Be it with the bat or occasionally with the ball, the Mumbai player was up for it. He didn’t bog down. He fought and came out triumph.

There was a story circling around for months. Jaiswal persuaded his father to move to Mumbai where he sold pani puris for a living but continued developing his game and smashing runs in grade level cricket before elevating his game to the next level. It is an inspiring story from an inspirational young wonder kid from Mumbai.

Even before the Under-19 World Cup, Rajasthan Royals (RR) had grabbed him in the IPL auctions for the 2020 season. The 18-year-old was bought for a stunning sum of INR 2.4 crore. It’s a perfect rags to riches story for Jaiswal who is the latest Indian batting sensation from Mumbai.

RR do have a lot of top-order batsmen in their ranks and it may just be slightly tough to fit Jaiswal in. Irrespective of if he plays or not, Jaiswal is on the cusp of making it big already. He is a dynamic cricketer and can fit in anywhere if he gets a chance to play. But one thing is certain that Jaiswal may just be the right player to invest in for RR.

From seeing the hardships of life to letting his bat do all the talking, Jaiswal has come a long way and has already taken giant strides in his short career. He averages a stunning 70.81 in List ‘A’ cricket while he is the sixth-highest run-getter ever in Under-19 (Youth) ODIs. Jaiswal has made 1386 runs at an average of 69.30.

He may or may not play too much this season. Watch out for Yashasvi Jaiswal, he may be a common name in the next few years.