PERTH: Rising cricket sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal, who rose from abject poverty to score a brilliant century in the first Test against Australia, says the lessons from his challenging upbringing now fuel his determination on and off the field.
Jaiswal, poised to become India's batting mainstay following in the footsteps of Virat Kohli, stamped his authority with a masterful hundred. Kohli, too, ended his century drought in the same match.
The 22-year-old opener, who moved to Mumbai from Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, at the age of 11 to train at Azad Maidan, endured a tough childhood. He lived in tents alongside groundsmen and sold paani puri at night to afford his meals. Reflecting on his past, Jaiswal said his journey instils in him the confidence to overcome any challenge.
"It's something (his backstory) that always gives me confidence that I can come out of any situation," Jaiswal said in a conversation with Australian broadcaster Mark Howard. "I always fight, I always look to fight, I want to be in the battle, I want to enjoy the battle, and I want to win the battle."
Jaiswal added, "This life gives me confidence and learnings about myself — how I can believe in me and how I can handle different emotions and situations in life. I really want to thank God for where I am and what I am doing. I am just happy at the moment, doing what I love, and I want to enjoy this with every ball."
Jaiswal’s inspiring journey is one of grit and resilience, charting his own destiny against all odds. His stunning century was especially satisfying after a duck in the first innings of the Perth Test, which marked the start of the five-match series on 22 November. India went on to win the match by a massive 297 runs.
When asked about his unique celebration after reaching his hundred, Jaiswal said, "Yes, it was (an unusual) way to bring up the hundred. In my mind, I was like, I will do this or that, and then suddenly, something happened, and I was like, oh my God, what should I do? So, I just celebrated and enjoyed the moment. I was blessed, I was grateful. This feeling will stay with me for a long time. I gave kisses to all my loved ones, all my fans who have supported me. I just wanted to give them my love with the kisses."
Jaiswal also revealed he shared the moment with his family. "I just called my family on WhatsApp, getting everyone together to celebrate. My brother always talks to me about cricket," he said.
India will head to Adelaide for the second Test, scheduled to begin on 6 December.
