Mumbai teen on top of the world
HUNGER GAMES Yashasvi Jaiswal, 17, who braved a hand-to-mouth existence, becomes youngest to hit List A double ton
MUMBAI :Hunger has an entirely different connotation for young Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Mumbai batsman who at 17 years and 292 days became the youngest in the world on Wednesday to score a double century in List A cricket in a Vijay Hazare Trophy game.
His insatiable appetite for scoring runs has been evident in the tournament. He hammered a 154-ball 203, laced with 14 fours and 12 sixes, in a 39-run win over Jharkhand in Alur, Karnataka. It was his third century-plus innings in five matches, for a tally of 504 runs.
Jaiswal, now considered one of the brightest talents in Mumbai cricket, eclipsed the age record of Alan Barrow, who was 20 years and 275 days old when he hit a double century in a South African league match for Natal in 1975.
However, it was hunger pangs that kept young Jaiswal company after he came to Mumbai as a 11-year-old from Bhadohi town in Uttar Pradesh with the dream of making it big in cricket.
Life in Mumbai was a struggle for the boy, hailing from a humble family. Virtually penniless, he spent his initial years working in a dairy, which provided him shelter for a while. However, he was thrown out of the place and spent the next three years at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, after Young Muslim Sports Club allowed the aspiring batsman to stay in their tent.
Jaiswal even sold pani puri and fruits to make some money that would help keep alive his cricket dreams. Things began to get better when Jwala Singh, who also hails from Uttar Pradesh and had played junior cricket for Mumbai, took the boy under his wings.
As Jaiswal savoured the limelight on Wednesday, he looked back on those tough days. “I won’t call that a struggle. At that time as well I was enjoying life; playing cricket mattered the most to me. I’m doing that at the moment and will do that hereafter.
“I’m on a high at the moment. But it’s just the start, I have to work harder. The journey has just begun. It’s only my fifth match, so good to be recognised. I was given an opportunity and I haven’t disappointed (but) I’m not thinking too far ahead,” said the left-hander.
Jaiswal is the ninth Indian to score a double century in List A cricket. Five have come in ODIs—Rohit Sharma (3), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. Shikhar Dhawan scored a double for India ‘A’ against South Africa ‘A’. Two other knocks came in Vijay Hazare— Sanju Samson scored 212 for Kerala, the fastest List A century, last week and Karn Veer Kaushal hit 202 for Uttarakhand against Sikkim last season.
Mumbai coach Vinayak Samant sees Jaiswal as an India prospect. “The Mumbai selectors look at him as an India prospect and he has repaid their faith. Last year as well, I was looking to slot him in the playing XI in Ranji Trophy but couldn’t. This performance should propel him to India ‘A’ immediately. It’s a proud feeling for a coach or selector when a player they back goes out there and performs,” he said.
After regular opener Jay Bista failed in earlier matches, Jaiswal was given an opportunity to open by Samant when the player asked him if he could open the innings.
“He was very keen to open as he had done that for Mumbai and India under-19 teams. For a 17-year-old to show that confidence to open the innings should be lauded.”
Samant added, “He has a solid technique and temperament. He is very determined, totally focussed on cricket and is not interested in anything else. When I give him throw downs, I get tired and tell him, ‘you will destroy my shoulder’. That shows his hunger to keep batting. He has a smart head on his shoulders, knows how to pace his innings and can play big shots as well.”
Jaiswal first came into spotlight during the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dhaka in October last year. He scored a 113-ball 85 in the final as India beat Sri Lanka by 144 runs. He was also the topscorer in the tournament with 318 runs. A couple of months back, during the under-19 tri-series in England, he aggregated 294 runs in seven innings. He scored four half-centuries, including a 72-ball 50 in the final where India beat Bangladesh by six wickets.