NEW DELHI: The incredible Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was brought up in penury, claims that he now uses the knowledge he has garnered from those trying times as fuel to win both on and off the field.
With a brilliant century in the opening Test match against Australia, Jaiswal made an impression on his class and is set to replace the legendary Virat Kohli as India’s batting mainstay. Kohli also achieved a century after a lengthy absence.
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Jaiswal lived in tents with the groundskeepers and sold paani puri at night to pay for food after moving to Mumbai from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, at the age of eleven to train at Azad Maidan.
“It’s something (his backstory) that always gives me confidence that I can come out of any situation. I always fight, I always look to fight, I want to be in the battle, I want to enjoy the battle and I want to win the battle,” Jaiswal said during a chat with Australian television broadcaster Mark Howard.
The 22-year-old opener added, “So this is what it gives me and I am really blessed that I have this life, that can give me a lot of confidence, learnings about myself, how I can believe in me, and how I can go through with different emotions, different situation in my life.
“So I think it’s just incredible and I really want to thank god for where I am and what I am doing, and I am doing what I love, so I am just happy at the moment. I want to enjoy this with every ball.”
His ascent to stardom is an intriguing story of a self-assured individual shaping his own fate. The first-innings duck at Perth, where the five-match Test series started on November 22, was more than made up for by his daring hundred.
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Asked about his unusual celebration after getting to the three-figure mark, Jaiswal said, “Yes, it was (an unusual) way to bring up the hundred. In my mind, I was like, I will do this or that, and then suddenly, something happened, and I was like, oh my god, what should I do.
“So, I was like, okay, I will just celebrate, and I will enjoy this moment. I was blessed, I was grateful, I enjoyed it, this feeling will stay with me for a long time.
“I give kisses to all my loved ones, all my fans who have supported me. I just wanted to give them my love with the kisses.
He spoke to his family after the fine achievement.
“I just called my family on whatsapp, getting everyone along and celebrate with them. My brother always talks to me about cricket.”
India won by a massive 295-run margin in the first Test, and the second match will begin on December 6 in Adelaide.