Rahul Dravid’s tips improved my game, asserts Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal, a 17-year-old boy who hails from Uttar Pradesh had come to Mumbai years back with an aspiration to live a dream and make a living out of playing cricket. The initial days saw him struggle financially even to the extent, where he had to sell pani puri after scoring century in morning for his club team.

The wait for making a name was not long as he did wonders in his first domestic season, he took the records by storm as he became the youngest batsman to score a double hundred in List-A cricket. He scored a blistering 203 off 154 balls in a 2019 Vijay Hazare game, having ended up with a tally of 564 runs in six innings in the tournament.

By proving his credibility, the left-handed batter made a statement before the IPL 2020 auction and the results didn’t disappoint him. He was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for a lumpsum amount of Rs.2.40 crore. Expressing his happiness, Yashasvi told Timesofindia.com in an interview, "I am very happy. It's a big opportunity for me. I will give my best."

Before boarding the U19 World Cup flight, Yashasvi visited National Cricket Academy (NCA) and had a chance to discuss few things on his technique with Rahul Dravid. 

"One ball at a time – this is the mantra I have learnt from Rahul sir. He always says treat every ball as important. Whenever I visit NCA, I meet him and tell him where I lack and what problem I am facing. He has solutions for everything. He is a great mentor. Honestly, my game has improved a lot because of his guidance," Yashasvi said.

"He congratulated and hugged me after my call-up," he added.

He seemed confident about India’s chances in the U19 World Cup and also felt assured about his game.

"I just want to go and perform for my country. I have worked a lot on my fitness and trained well at the NCA. I practiced and trained under Rahul sir and took a lot of tips from him. I am sure we will bring the Cup home," the 17-year-old expressed.