Young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is an exceptional talent and has faced a lot of hardships in life to reach where he is today. Jaiswal is probably the best example of how modern-day cricket should be played. The left-handed batter not only has the class in himself but attacks the ball with immense ease. In the present time, the Mumbai batter is travelling with the Indian cricket team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 going on in the West Indies and USA. IND vs PAK Match, New York Weather, Rain Forecast and Pitch Report: Here’s How Weather Will Behave for India vs Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Clash at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.
However, just like every story, Yashasvi Jaiswal's was never a fairy tale. From sleeping in the tents of Azad Maidan in Mumbai to becoming one of the most explosive batsmen in contemporary cricket, Jaiswal has come a very long way. But, the left-handed batter didn't achieve all by himself, Mr. Jwala Singh is the man behind nurturing such great talent. Jwala spoke to LatestLY in an exclusive conversation and expressed his feelings and the hard times that he and Yashasvi had to go through during the start of his career. Some glimpses of the interaction are mentioned below:
LY: Yashasvi Jaiswal has been selected in T20 World Cup squad. His life has been full of struggle. What are your thoughts on this?
Jwala: Of course, when he came to me in 2013, it was a very difficult time for him because he lived in a tent in Azad Maidan. I came to know about his story, which was similar to my story. I, too, had come to Mumbai in 1995 from Gorakhpur to play cricket and had similar conditions as he was facing problems; I, too, had faced them at one point. When I saw that he was very similar to me, it was our dream that he play for India. He had the talent that could take a player to great heights and there was also a passion inside him that he had to do it. As a coach, a legal guardian and a father figure, I feel very proud when he plays in the Indian team and today he is playing in the World Cup team, so what we both had dreamed together is a reality today and this caravan has just begun and I would like it to move forward. Suryakumar Yadav Leaves Hilarious Reply on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Instagram Post With Rohit Sharma’s Famous 'Garden Mein Ghoomega' Reference.
LY. He did not get a chance in the warm-up match against Bangladesh and did not play against Ireland as well, do you see him opening with Rohit Sharma against Pakistan or in coming games?
Jwala: Well, I mean getting into playing XI depends on so many things. Some teams think differently on different tracks, and different oppositions and if he is there definitely he should get a chance. But at the end of the day, it depends on the captain, coach and the combination that they are looking for. So this is just the first game and there are many more matches left so I feel like whenever he gets an opportunity, he will perform but that totally depends on management but yes, he is ready and he has already done well in T20 cricket for India, so I hope he gets an opportunity and if he gets an opportunity, he will play well and win the games for the country. Country always comes first. India must play the best cricket and win the trophy. So, for me, it's important that India win first and then if Yashasvi plays and performs, that will be more of a pleasure for me.
LY: As a young cricketer, what were his preparations like which made him stand out from a highly competitive Mumbai Cricket? And a word on his journey to IPL?
Jwala: See, I told you. Both Yashasvi and I had a dream to play for India. If I speak frankly, I never saw Yashasvi as another person. So I used all the strength that I had. We used to practice and talk for seven-eight hours a day. I used to introduce him to big cricketers. Whoever was in my touch. There is Wasim Jaffer, there is Dilip Vengsarkar. At that time, the coaches and captains of Mumbai and selectors. I used to take it to him also. Whenever I saw that someone was a very good talent, I always used to promote him as a part of just making a player and have always been there. IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum Reveals Biggest Reason for Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Success Originates From His Hunger, Work Ethic.
We both have worked very hard together. He has also done it. And we have made a lot of preparations. When he was going for the World Cup, we made him practice in those types of conditions. During Coronavirus time, practice was not allowed, and at that time, he used to stay with me at my house. Yashasvi has been staying at my house from 2013 to 2022. We used to talk about what he would do when he went to the IPL. Then he went and scored 40 runs in three matches in his first IPL season. I was very disappointed, I thought that we would not feed him further. When he came from Dubai, he started crying on the phone, I had gone to Gorakhpur because there was a lockdown here. He used to say, 'sir, my career is over, I don't think I will be able to play further.'
Again from there, I worked on him again. I called him to Gorakhpur when I was watching IPL, I understood that his cricket is not for IPL. He was more of a red ball cricketer and his level of batting was not matching. I took a risk and called him to Gorakhpur and used to practice for two to three hours every day with a plastic ball on a cement wicket. Apart from it, I made him practice hitting sixes for two hours every day. He used to say, Sir, my skills will deteriorate with this practice, I told him that if you wanted to play cricket further, you would have to play T20. After that he scored the fastest fifty in IPL history.
Yashasvi Jaiswal still has a very long way to go and he is considered among the future stars of not just India but world cricket. The ability and talent he has shown till now are probably an inspiration for many upcoming cricketers in India.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2024 08:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).