by By now you may have heard the origin story of Yashasvi Jaiswal, the 22-year-old Indian opener with 712 runs in his maiden series, the most by any Indian batsman in Test history in England . No matter – it’s a story that bears repeating. Jaiswal was just a shy 10-year-old boy when he left his home district of Bhadohi, eastern Uttar Pradesh, with his father, and headed 1,000 miles south across the vast expanses of India to the bright lights of Mumbai. apparently looking for someone. an impossible dream – to make it as a professional cricketer in a country of 1.4 billion people where the game is known as a quasi-religion.
His father left his uncle with him in Mumbai and went back to the rest of the family. After a few days the young Jaiswal left to live and work in a dairy shop before seizing the opportunity to live in a farmer’s tent in the city’s famous Azad Maidan. Here he was on a diet of glucose biscuits and sometimes a free meal. More than that, he survived on a cricket diet. With endless practices and matches, Jaiswal began honing his batting skills with an almost incomprehensible focus. “I have been alone for a long, long time,” Jaiswal told the Hindustan Times last year. “When my father left, it was very difficult for me at first. Slowly, I got used to it. I got busy.”
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After a few years of living in the tent on the Maidan – playing cricket from dawn to dusk and occasionally earning a rupee or two of pocket money helping the food vendors sell their pani-puri – saw the cricket coach Jwala Singh Jaiswal. Singh took him in and eventually became his legal guardian. Both of them working together diligently towards their dreams.
In those lonely early days, Jaiswal used to stand outside his tent and look across at the floodlights of the Wankhede Stadium blazing through the Mumbai night sky. On April 30 last year Jaiswal was inside the famous ground living out his dream, scoring an IPL debut – 124 runs from 62 balls – for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians. He had the presence of mind to reflect on his achievements, his journey, while still out in the middle, later saying that he saw a vision of himself as a child “standing there and looking at the lights”.
“It will always be in my mind,” Jaiswal said of his singular journey. “It always gives me confidence and fighting spirit that I will be ready, no matter what happens.”
Jaiswal was ready for England. He got busy. Double centuries in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot snuffed out any illusions England might have had after that opening victory in Hyderabad, built on the back of Ollie Pope’s 196. Pope’s innings has already been stamped as one of the great overseas centuries by an England player; in fact, England needed something as inspired and incredible as the Pope’s masterclass to happen in every game, almost every innings, with bat or ball, just to keep up with India’s dominance in all aspects of the game .
Much will be made of England’s victory here, and the post mortem has already begun with the cadaver yet to be brought back. There will be theories and suggestions; There is likely to be some air time between now and the first test match of the summer against the West Indies in July, between mindsets and wholesale personnel changes. What cannot, should not, get lost in the discussion is how impressive this Indian side has been for the last 17 series in home conditions.
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Rohit Sharma’s side has not only covered all bases but covered it. No Virat Kohli? Here are a few more young batting geniuses ready and willing to step into his princely shoes. Your star wicketkeeper still recovering from a horrific car accident and replaced by a nickname? Well, here’s a 23-year-old with velveteen gloves and a liquid nitrogen mind with a bat in hand: there you go, son, do your best. fields are going to turn a little are they? It shouldn’t be a problem – we have a world-beater in almost every form, including slow left-armer Kuldeep Yadav, who is just now the fastest Indian bowler (and the second-fastest spinner overall ) to perform fifty Tests. wickets in terms of balls bowled. Oh, you want a bit of speed for a difference point? “Spirit! Oh Jasprit!”
India run the world game off the field and set the benchmark on it. How can they not? Jaiswal’s story, amazing as it is, is not the only one doing the rounds right now. Other kids with a one in a billion chance are doing so and will continue to do so. They are out there right now, red clay from the Maidan on their limbs, the light of distant floodlights glittering in their eyes. Preparing for when the opportunity comes to be busy.
