At 23, Yashasvi Jaiswal has already lived a story that few athletes experience in a lifetime. From selling pani puris to survive in Mumbai to becoming India’s most dominant young Test batter, Jaiswal’s journey is built on discipline, hunger and an unusual clarity about his craft.

In 2024, when India’s top-order batters faced sharp criticism, Jaiswal stood apart. He finished the year as the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket and the highest Indian run-getter in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Every Test century he has scored since his debut in July 2023 has crossed 150. Two of those knocks were double centuries.

More than the numbers, it is his method that has defined him.

A Childhood Shaped by Hard Choices

Jaiswal arrived in Mumbai from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, in 2010. He was ten. His aim was simple. Play cricket. The reality was harsh. For over two years, he lived in a tent at Azad Maidan and sold pani puris to afford food.

Those years shaped his outlook. Mumbai’s maidans taught him that survival and scoring runs followed the same rule. You had to value your wicket.

That lesson still guides him.

“Maidan cricket teaches you to score big,” Jaiswal has said. “A century does not mean much there.”

Learning to Bat for Long Periods

Jaiswal idolised Sachin Tendulkar while growing up. Like his hero, he learned early that Test cricket rewards patience and control.

His Test batting shows that belief. He builds innings brick by brick. He does not chase milestones. He waits for bowlers to make mistakes.

That approach paid off in 2024. Against Australia, in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he handled pressure better than most senior players. His ability to stay calm across long spells stood out.

Power With Control

While Jaiswal values time at the crease, he also brings power. In 2024, he hit 36 sixes in Test matches, the most by any batter in a calendar year. He went past names like Brendon McCullum and Virender Sehwag.

He credits this side of his game to the Indian Premier League and Rajasthan Royals, the franchise that backed him early.

The IPL taught him how to score fast without losing balance. He learned which balls to attack and which to defend. That skill now shows in red-ball cricket.

The Turning Point in the IPL

IPL 2021 was a low point. Jaiswal scored only 40 runs in three matches. His strike rate stayed under 100. Many young players fade after such seasons.

Jaiswal did not.

From 2022 onward, his numbers improved each year. In IPL 2023, he scored 625 runs in 14 matches, with a century and five half-centuries.

Much of that growth came under the guidance of Zubin Bharucha, Rajasthan Royals’ director of high performance.

Bharucha recalls Jaiswal’s fearlessness at trials. On his first ball, Jaiswal walked across his stumps and flicked the ball for four. That single shot showed courage.

Work Beyond Matches

Talent alone did not shape Jaiswal’s rise. His work ethic did.

At Rajasthan Royals’ high-performance centre in Nagpur, Jaiswal spent long hours training. He repeated shots until flaws disappeared. He worked through pain.

There were days when his palms bled. He kept batting.

Bharucha says Jaiswal accepted that to beat the best, sacrifice was not optional.

Jaiswal agrees. “I can sacrifice everything for cricket,” he has said.

Trust in His Own Game

Two words define Jaiswal’s mindset. “I believe.” “I trust.”

They are tattooed on his arms. They guide his decisions.

He does not fear fast bowlers or tough conditions. He believes answers exist to every problem at the crease.

That confidence showed when he attacked James Anderson and Mitchell Starc with equal authority.

Completing the Circle

With his selection for the Champions Trophy, Jaiswal has now debuted in all three formats for India. Few players achieve that by 23.

Yet his outlook remains unchanged. Format does not alter his goal.

He wants to score runs. He wants to win championships for India.

The boy who once slept in a tent now stands firm at the crease against the world’s best bowlers. His story reflects more than success. It reflects preparation, patience and belief.

For Indian cricket, Yashasvi Jaiswal is not just a breakthrough talent. He is a long-term promise.

FAQs

Q1. Who is Yashasvi Jaiswal?
Yashasvi Jaiswal is an Indian international cricketer known for his performances in Test cricket and the IPL.

Q2. What did Yashasvi Jaiswal achieve in 2024?
He was the second-highest Test run-scorer and the highest Indian run-getter in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Q3. Why is Yashasvi Jaiswal’s journey unique?
He moved to Mumbai at a young age, lived in extreme hardship, and worked his way into international cricket.

Q4. Which IPL team does Yashasvi Jaiswal play for?
He plays for Rajasthan Royals.