From selling Panipuri, breaking records in IPL to Team India: This cricketer’s journey is quite inspiring

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s inspiring journey from the streets of Mumbai to the pinnacle of cricket is a well-documented tale of determination and resilience. Starting as a panipuri seller to support his cricket coaching, Jaiswal’s remarkable rise has now led him to earn a place in India’s Test squad for the upcoming West Indies tour.

His selection is a result of his exceptional performance in the IPL 2023, where he amassed 625 runs in 14 matches with an impressive average of 48.08, including a brilliant century. Notably, he also etched his name in the record books by smashing the fastest half-century in IPL history, taking just 13 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Although he was named as a stand-by player for India’s World Test Championship final squad, he didn’t get an opportunity to play in the match at The Oval. Nevertheless, Jaiswal expressed his elation, stating, “This is a moment I have been dreaming of all my life,” as quoted by The Indian Express.

The hardships Jaiswal faced on the streets are well-documented, along with his extraordinary achievements. Recounting those challenging days, he revealed, “I faced difficulties there. No electricity, no restroom, no help. I had to manage everything on my own, even washing my clothes. I felt isolated, with no one to share my feelings. The gardeners treated me poorly, and others would even resort to violence. I was forced to cook for myself and often threatened with the denial of food. Amidst all this, I sold pani puris at night to earn some money. While I started finding joy in it, I also prayed for a better opportunity,” Jaiswal shared during an interview with Quint.

However, fate took a turn for Jaiswal when he was discovered in December 2013 by Jwala Singh, who ran a cricket academy in Santacruz. This opportunity allowed Jaiswal to showcase his talent on the cricket field. He made waves in 2015 when he scored an unbroken 319 runs and claimed 13 wickets for 99 runs in a Giles Shield encounter. That performance earned him a spot in the Mumbai U-16 and later the India U-19 teams. Despite India’s loss to Bangladesh in the final, Jaiswal was named the “player of the World Cup” for his outstanding performance, scoring the most runs (400) in the tournament.

Jaiswal achieved another remarkable feat in senior cricket when, at the age of 17 years, he became the youngest double centurion in the history of List A cricket. His exceptional innings of 203 runs off 154 balls came during the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Mumbai against Jharkhand.

Read more: BCCI announces team India squads for ODI and Test series against West Indies, Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad return