"He cried over the phone" - Yashasvi Jaiswal's childhood coach recounts fightback journey on the eve of his Test debut

A new era of batting is gradually emerging in India's Test team with the departure of Cheteshwar Pujara being the first significant blow. Among the first wave of this change is Yashasvi Jaiswal.

By Chandra Moulee Das Updated: Jul 12, 2023, 00:20 IST

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The fairytale of teen prodigy Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to grow and amaze. However, what makes his story truly inspiring is how the U-19 stalwart managed to make the massive leap from age-group cricket to earning a spot in the Indian team through the IPL.

A new era of batting is gradually emerging in India's Test team with the departure of Cheteshwar Pujara being the first significant blow and more players likely to follow suit. Among the first wave of this change is Yashasvi Jaiswal.

While narrating the roller-coaster journey, his childhood coach, mentor and guardian Jwala Singh highlighted the obstacles Jaiswal overcame to become India's next batting sensation.

After a remarkable performance in the U19 World Cup in South Africa, he faced a setback during the Covid-19 lockdown. Confined to his quarters, he had limited space for practice and his batting momentum slowly waned. To make matters worse, he suffered a shoulder strain that required rehabilitation.

Yashasvi Jaiswal implemented various methods during Covid-19 to maintain his batting rhythm

In an exclusive chat with Wisden India, Jwala Singh said, “We stayed at home for five-six months and it was a very frustratingly negative, discouraging time for us,” Jwala recalls. “During the lockdown, he was staying with me, and we used to wonder every single day when all of this will be over”.

With only an indoor setup and throwdowns from his coach at his disposal, Jaiswal made every effort to regain his batting rhythm. The coaches at the Royals also supported him by providing schedules and monitoring his progress through WhatsApp groups.

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Nonetheless, it was a significant challenge and his first attempt did not yield the desired results due to the lack of preparation during the months leading up to his first IPL experience. “He did not do well [IPL 2020]. When he came back, he was very down and cried over the phone," Singh added.

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