IPL 2020: RR batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal recalls leaving home at the age of 10 to pursue cricket

Rajasthan Royals batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal recently recalled the story of leaving home at the age of 10 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional cricketer. It was tough surviving alone in a big city at that age, but he says he managed to get through it.

He left his village and travelled to Mumbai acting on the advice of some seniors. The limited opportunities for a young cricketer in a rural village in Uttar Pradesh left him no other option.

Speaking to Test Match Special at the IPL podcast, Yashasvi Jaiswal revealed how tough it was to survive in the city. He initially lived and worked at a dairy shop, but got kicked out since he was too tired to work after a long day of cricket.

“I was like 'please let me stay here at least the night’. I was alone at the time; it was a hard moment for me. The next day I called my cricket coach and he said to go to his home so I lived there for two or three months.”

The youngster could not continue at his coach’s home for long and shifted soon to a tent where the groundsmen of his cricket club lived.

“I thought it would be good for me to live in a tent near the ground because I could wake up and go to practice, or I could do scoring or umpiring and with that I could help myself with money.”

Jaiswal also would sell street food often to top-up his earnings. But the food was scarce, he says, and would often have to go to sleep without eating.

#Throwback to the time when my dream like every other budding cricketer in this country came true & I got to spend time talking with @sachin_rt sir.The things we discussed,I will always keep with me and remember them.Looking forward to more such interactions in near future sir. pic.twitter.com/LYZMH0TUi2

— Yashasvi Jaiswal (@yashasvi_j) June 28, 2020

Fortunes have changed for Yashasvi Jaiswal with the hard yards he put in

Young Yashasvi Jaiswal has managed to impress the selectors and cricketing fraternity at every level so far.

Jaiswal made his debut for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy at the tender age of 17. He became the youngest double centurion in List A cricket by scoring 203 runs off 154 balls against Jharkhand in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match in 2019.

The southpaw was also the leading run-scorer in the 2020 ICC U-19 World Cup.

On the back of these performances, Yashasvi Jaiswal was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for US$ 340,000 in the IPL 2020 auction.

Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal respect for @Msdhoni#CSKvsRR #MSDhoni #Csk #Whistlepodu #RRvCSK #RRvsCSK #CSKvRR #RajasthanRoyals #yashasvijaiswal pic.twitter.com/bLQxqu9wMp

— Oyepick (Cricket Analyst) (@oyepick) September 22, 2020

It’s 'amazing' for a youngster to bat under Smith’s captaincy, says Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal is excited to work with Australian batsman Steve Smith, who is his skipper at Rajasthan Royals. The young batsman says that Smith is open to any questions and it’s 'amazing' for any youngster to get an opportunity to bat under his captaincy.

“He [Smith] said just go out and enjoy it - he's a really nice guy," said Jaiswal. "When he came I wanted to ask so many questions, how to best prepare, improve my mindset. He said whatever you want to ask, just ask, don't hesitate. For a senior to do that, it's amazing for a youngster to bat under his captaincy.”

Yashasvi Jaiswal is here. 💗That's it, that's the tweet. #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @yashasvi_j pic.twitter.com/i2FyMYraIA

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) August 18, 2020

Check the IPL schedule here

Yashasvi Jaiswal made his debut in the IPL for the Royals on 22nd September against Chennai Super Kings. He is expected to be in action once again on Sunday when Rajasthan Royals lock horns with Kings XI Punjab.