"Nobody will believe in you if you don't believe in yourself" - Yashasvi Jaiswal on being benched during IPL 2022 

Rising young batter Yashasvi Jaiswal opened up about being benched by the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for a brief period in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 campaign. The 20-year-old played a total of 10 matches in the tournament, including the playoffs.

With scores of 20, 4, and 1 in his first three matches for the franchise after being retained, the inaugural winners opted to alter their batting order. Jaiswal was dropped from the playing XI while Devdutt Padikkal was promoted to the top of the order.

The left-handed batter was recalled into the team for their clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He announced his arrival in style with a swashbuckling innings of 68 off 41 deliveries. The youngster ended the season with 258 runs at a strike rate of 132.99.

Noting that he never doubted himself during his time on the bench in IPL 2022, Jaiswal said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo:

"I never doubted myself. I kept believing and trusting that I will do it. That was the best thing. I think I'm very strong mentally. Nobody will believe in you if you don't believe in yourself."

The youngster forged an impeccable left-right opening pair with Purple Cap winner Jos Buttler. The duo often helped RR get off to a positive start and set up a platform for the middle order.

Revealing how it was batting alongside the Englishman over the course of the tournament, the Mumbai-born player said:

"It was amazing batting with him. We talk a lot - maybe not in the middle but outside the ground. He just tells me simple and clear things that I need to do. If he says something, I trust him and follow it, and it helps me. I was very happy batting with him. He just says, 'Play good cricketing shots and I try to follow it."

RR finished runners-up in the tournament after coming up short against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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"I hadn't played for seven-eight months" - Yashasvi Jaiswal reflects on his poor IPL 2020 campaign

The promising youngster was acquired by the Sanju Samson-led side in the IPL 2020 auction for a sum of ₹2.4 crore. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal did not have the best of outings in his debut season.

Making his debut against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the left-handed batter could only make six runs. He eventually ended up with 40 runs at a strike rate of below 100 in his three appearances in the UAE.

Opening up about his woeful debut season in the competition, he said:

"I hadn't played for seven-eight months. I had a shoulder injury. And during the lockdown there wasn't much practice either. Then suddenly to go in a high-competition game..."

Following a promising IPL 2021, which included a career-changing knock against the eventual champions, RR decided to retain Yashasvi Jaiswal along with Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson.

Jaiswal proved the decision right with a few match-changing knocks in the 15th edition of the cash-rich league.