The urge to overcompensate after running out a senior and more established batter can be overwhelming. But Yashasvi Jaiswal thrived in it, staying in charge of his innings while ruthlessly taking apart Kolkata Knight Riders’ attempts to make a match out of Thursday’s game. Perhaps Jos Buttler had an inkling this time. Or else why would he sacrifice his wicket?
The first-over battering of Nitish Rana — he went for 6,6,4,4,2,4, the most runs in the opening over of an IPL innings — was an early sign. But one can never be sure of that tempo lasting in a high-stakes game played on an up-and-down pitch with a partisan crowd cheering on the home side. It was Jaiswal’s uncomplicated batting however, that made it a no-contest.
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No cute shots or outrageous scoops, all off the middle of the bat and sweetly timed, Jaiswal’s pattern of scoring harked back to the traditional power game at a time white-ball hacks are rapidly redefining cricket. At the heart of the onslaught that fetched Jaiswal the quickest ever IPL fifty was the clarity about his role—that he had to go all the way and finish matches.
And even though he couldn’t reach what could have been his second IPL hundred this season, Jaiswal celebrated it like one. "I thought I would go for a six to get the hundred if I could, but it is okay," said Jaiswal at the press conference after Royals’ nine-wicket win. "I have to play long and finish the games, so even at the end, that was the only thought in my mind—to leave the field after finishing the game. I will remember this innings. It was short-lived but also very intense."
{{/usCountry}}And even though he couldn’t reach what could have been his second IPL hundred this season, Jaiswal celebrated it like one. "I thought I would go for a six to get the hundred if I could, but it is okay," said Jaiswal at the press conference after Royals’ nine-wicket win. "I have to play long and finish the games, so even at the end, that was the only thought in my mind—to leave the field after finishing the game. I will remember this innings. It was short-lived but also very intense."
{{/usCountry}}Youngest double centurion in List A cricket, Player of the Tournament in the 2020 U-19 World Cup and the joint-quickest to 1000 first-class runs — Jaiswal has a knack for records. Singled out for greatness at a young age, with an equally stirring story of his hardships as a teenager who lived, worked and played in Azad Maidan, it seemed Jaiswal could put no foot wrong.
But a year ago, Jaiswal seemed to have hit a bottleneck. So he spoke to Sanju Samson. “Sanju bhai and I had a chat,” Jaiswal told Yuzvendra Chahal in an interview after Thursday’s win. “In the earlier matches, after the Powerplay I was not able to convert my starts. I was not able to keep the tempo high. I was learning how to score big runs and how to play shots in the middle overs.”
Jaiswal has clearly learned well. Only, at the pace at which he was going, that too in pursuit of a mediocre target, everything seemed to happen in fast forward mode.
Buttler’s run out was quickly put in the past with a hooked six off Harshit Rana that took Jaiswal to 37 off nine. Three more boundaries off Shardul Thakur—caressed through extra cover, pulled over midwicket followed by another through cover—and Jaiswal was on 49 off 12. “When I reached the 13-ball fifty, for a brief moment I thought there was a chance it was the fastest IPL fifty,” said Jaiswal. “But I wasn't sure till I found out after the game. I enjoyed that moment. I told myself, 'Let's celebrate,'" he said, flexing his muscles and showing how he bragged about it.
A hundred against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede and now 98 on a dry Eden pitch, Jaiswal has played unlike any uncapped Indian player in the history of the IPL. In his brief tryst with professional cricket, Jaiswal has already stoked conversations on how long will stay uncapped. This innings is further set to fuel that talk. For not only was it aggressive and elegant at the same time, his range of strokes spoke of a disciplined and calculating mind that was always on the lookout for the best scoring options. "Every wicket has a different behaviour and you play according to that wicket and the ball being bowled," he said.
"I try to understand what they (the bowlers) can do, where they can bowl, and what the field is. And I try to understand the wicket also. Because sometimes that can go in your favour. My preparation has been focused on my discipline lately. Because after fielding for 20 overs with high intensity, you have to go bat. That's why I am working on my fitness and the mental aspect of the game.
“I also know that I will not bat like this every day. I have to accept that on some days, my shots will pay off and on other days, they won't. So it is important to continue learning irrespective of how my innings pans out. Around me, there are many experienced players and I keep talking to them about how to keep your mindset as a batter. The legends like MS (Dhoni) sir, Virat Kohli sir and Jos bhai and Sanju (Samson) bhai, whenever I meet them, I try to learn what more I can add to my game and how I can control my mind."