Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young opener for Rajasthan Royals, achieved a major milestone against Kolkata Knight Riders by becoming the fastest player to score a fifty in IPL history. Jaiswal completed his half-century in just 13 balls, breaking the previous record set by KL Rahul of Lucknow Super Giants, who had achieved the feat in 14 balls. Jaiswal’s blistering knock consisted of three fours and two sixes, and he went on to score a century later in the season.
In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan was chasing a target of 150 runs, and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the innings with Jos Buttler. He started off strong by hitting Nitish Rana, the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, for 26 runs in the very first over. Jaiswal completed his half-century in the third over, making history in the process.
Jaiswal’s impressive form continued throughout the season, and in his 1000th IPL match, he scored an outstanding inning of 124 runs against Mumbai Indians. This is the highest score by any Rajasthan batsman in IPL, surpassing the previous record held by Jos Buttler, who had also scored 124 runs.
Yashasvi’s inspiring journey from selling golgappas outside Mumbai’s Azad Maidan to becoming a centurion in the IPL is nothing short of remarkable. Hailing from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, Yashasvi grew up in abject poverty. At the tender age of 11, he left his hometown and arrived in Mumbai with the dream of becoming a cricketer. However, the road to success was not an easy one for him in a city as big as Mumbai, and Yashasvi had to work hard to make a name for himself in the cricketing world.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Struggle to Survive
From selling golgappas and fruits during Ram Leela at Azad Maidan to working in a dairy, Yashasvi Jaiswal had to face many hardships to survive in Mumbai. He often had to sleep on an empty stomach, but he never gave up. When Yashasvi lost his job at the dairy, a club offered to help him, but with a condition that he could stay in their tent only if he played well. He used to make bread in the tent and got food in the afternoon and at night.
Groomed by Coach Jwala Singh
Yashasvi’s determination and hard work caught the attention of coach Jwala Singh, who hails from the same state as Yashasvi. Singh took him under his wing and groomed him into the left-handed batsman he is today. Yashasvi credits Singh for his success and considers him his adopted father. “He has played an important role in getting me to this point,” he once said.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Rise from Under-19 World Cup to IPL Centurion
Yashasvi Jaiswal made his mark in domestic cricket by smashing a double century in a Youth ODI at just 17 years of age. He continued his impressive form in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, scoring a century and four half-centuries. He amassed 400 runs in six innings, with an average of 133.33, earning him the Man of the Tournament award and widespread praise.
Rajasthan Royals placed their faith in Yashasvi by purchasing him for Rs 2.4 crore in the 2020 IPL auction. In his debut season, he scored 40 runs in three matches. He followed this up with 249 runs in 10 matches in 2021, leading to his retention for Rs 4 crore for the 2022 season. He proved his worth with 258 runs in 10 matches, including a century. His consistent form and potential have led many to consider him a future member of the Indian cricket team.
Yashasvi’s unbeaten 98 off 47 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2022 IPL season helped Rajasthan Royals move to third position in the points table. When asked about not completing his century, he responded that his focus was never on personal milestones. This statement has endeared him to fans even more.
What Yashasvi spoke?
Yashasvi spoke after the match and shared his thoughts, saying that he always aims to perform well on the field. He expressed that batting in the match was a great feeling and he prepares well and believes in himself, which gives him confidence that the results will come. He also mentioned that hitting the winning shot was a great feeling and it was his aim to finish the game and win the match. Yashasvi considers himself blessed and grateful for doing his best.
When asked about missing out on a century, Yashasvi Jaiswal replied that he was focused on finishing the game quickly with Sanju Samson and the team’s net run rate was in his mind. He shared that losing Jos Buttler’s wicket early in the match had put more responsibility on him. However, he felt that it was part of the game, and he used it as a motivation to do better. Sanju Samson encouraged him to keep playing his game and not think about the run-out incident.
Rajasthan Royals has won six matches out of 12 and lost six, which places them in third place on the points table. This win has also raised their net run rate to +0.633.
Kolkata scores 149 runs in their first innings against Rajasthan in IPL match
In the IPL match against Rajasthan, Kolkata batted first and scored 149 runs, losing eight wickets in 20 overs. Venkatesh Iyer’s innings of 57 runs in 42 balls helped Kolkata reach this score, with two fours and four sixes. Chahal took four wickets, breaking Dwayne Bravo’s record of taking the most wickets in the league with 187 wickets. Boult took two wickets, while Sandeep Sharma and KM Asif got one wicket each.
Yashasvi and Samson Shine with Impressive Innings
As the Rajasthan team took to the field, they were determined to make an impact. Yashasvi Jaiswal quickly scored 26 runs in the first over of Nitish Rana, hitting two sixes and three fours. This is the second-highest number of runs scored in the first over of an innings, tying with another team. The Mumbai Indians currently hold the record for the most runs scored in the first over of an innings, having scored 27 runs in a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011, including seven extras. Rajasthan’s impressive performance landed them in the number two spot.
Yashasvi and Samson’s Outstanding Performance
The Rajasthan team had a different strategy when they came to bat in response. Yashasvi Jaiswal made a blazing start by scoring 26 runs in the very first over of Nitish Rana, with the help of two sixes and three fours. This performance was the joint second-highest runs scored in the first over of an innings in IPL history. The record for the most runs scored in the first over of an innings is held by Mumbai Indians, who scored 27 runs in 2011 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, including seven extras. Rajasthan ranks second on this list.
Despite losing Butler for a duck in the second over, Yashasvi continued his onslaught. He smashed his half-century off just 13 balls, the fastest in IPL history, and achieved his opening 50 runs with two singles and a double. Yashasvi Jaiswal hit three sixes and seven fours in the first 50 runs and continued his magnificent form till the end of the match.
In his unbeaten innings of 98 runs, Yashasvi hit 13 fours and five sixes. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson contributed an unbeaten 48 runs in 29 balls, including two fours and five sixes. Rajasthan achieved the target of 150 runs, losing only one wicket in just 13.1 overs. The team’s next match is against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.