Following an extraordinary 175 in the second Test against West Indies, Yashasvi Jaiswal received a playful yet profound compliment from Brian Lara: “Don’t beat our bowlers that bad.” This humorous remark underscored the incredibly high standards the 23-year-old batter has already set in his burgeoning career.
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar further encouraged Jaiswal to “Keep getting the hundreds. Daddy hundreds.” Jaiswal’s 175 marked his fifth score of 150 or more in Tests before the age of 24, a feat surpassed only by the legendary Don Bradman. His impressive conversion rate of 50+ scores in Tests stands at nearly 39.6%, outperforming greats like Sachin Tendulkar (36.2%), Ricky Ponting (35.9%), Brian Lara (35.3%), and even Virat Kohli (29%) at a similar stage in their careers.
Jaiswal has already notched up seven Test centuries, a tally matched only by Graeme Smith as an opener before turning 24. Only Bradman (12), Tendulkar (11), and Garry Sobers (9) had more Test tons by the same age. While his success is undeniable, it is rooted in immense hard work, intense focus, and remarkable mental fortitude.
Zubin Bharucha, Jaiswal’s mentor, shared insights into the batter’s unique approach: “Mumbai’s famous ‘khadoos mentality’ is deeply ingrained in his gameplay. Jaiswal’s challenging background and strong character drive him to seize every opportunity. While the demanding Mumbai cricket system certainly played a role, with its fierce competition, no one truly understands his struggles, having lived in a tent. The real game-changer, however, is Jaiswal’s exceptional work ethic.”
Initially, Jaiswal had to make significant adjustments to his stroke play, including developing his on-side game and the reserve sweep. Yet, his strong desire to be the world’s best batter allowed him to quickly refine his craft. Bharucha elaborated on this dedication: “The magic begins with preparation. Jaiswal strives for perfection in every shot he finds challenging. He wouldn’t leave the ground until he had mastered a particular stroke, like practicing the reverse sweep 300 times a day. I recall a practice session in Guwahati where he started batting in the afternoon and continued until 2 AM. Such practice sessions reflect a rare, almost spiritual mindset, filled with blood, sweat, and tears. This relentless pursuit of brilliance, bravery, and creativity is what ultimately leads to top-tier performances.”
Bharucha also recounted a particularly intense training session from a few years ago: “Jaiswal was preparing to face Jofra Archer, and we found a sidearm pacer tasked with bowling bouncers at 150 kph. There was a genuine risk of injury, and very few players would agree to such drills. However, Jaiswal was more than willing to embrace the challenge.”
Julian Wood, Sri Lanka’s batting coach, drew parallels between Jaiswal’s abilities and those of Abhishek Sharma, commending his clarity of thought. “He possesses the discipline to get the job done, combined with an astute ability to dismantle bowling attacks. Jaiswal manipulates the field beautifully, much like Abhishek Sharma, absorbing pressure with ease. His excellent body positioning, ruthless execution, and powerful swing allow him to score those massive runs. Furthermore, Jaiswal has complete faith in his fundamentals and a clear understanding of his capabilities, just like Abhishek,” Wood observed. He added, “Jaiswal makes the margin of error for bowlers incredibly small. If you bowl too straight, he’ll flick you. While batters often get bogged down by technique, the absolute clarity in his gameplay is his defining characteristic.”
Former Indian cricketers Pravin Amre and Wasim Jaffer have also lauded Jaiswal’s potential for even greater success. Amre emphasized that Jaiswal, as a left-hander, brings a significant advantage to the Indian team, praising his “amazing” consistency and remarkable resilience.
Wasim Jaffer added: “Jaiswal truly grasps the importance of converting good starts into monumental scores. I’m confident he could have even reached a triple century if not for that unfortunate dismissal on 175. His ability to bounce back is undeniable—when pushed against the wall, Jaiswal consistently finds a way to score runs. There’s still so much time for him to achieve extraordinary things.”
Beyond his intense preparation, Jaiswal’s receptiveness as a listener also contributes significantly to his development. Bharucha explained: “Whenever he feels a little down because things aren’t going to plan, I remind him, ‘It’s been so tough to reach this stage. We certainly aren’t going to let our place go to someone else.’ We often have long conversations, sometimes even at 2 AM. Jaiswal once mentioned feeling ‘late on the ball,’ but I corrected him, explaining he was actually ‘early.’ He instinctively knows when something is amiss. We had clear discussions about adapting to left-arm spinners like Mitchell Santner, and Jaiswal immediately applied all the suggestions.” Bharucha continued, “He actively asks questions about the necessary preparation for tours to Australia and England, and what can be done differently. Jaiswal is constantly thinking and refining his game. I analyze every ball he faces after a knock and pinpoint even the smallest errors.”
Jaiswal deeply admires Sachin Tendulkar and has strived to emulate the legendary batter’s discipline from an early age, as recalled by Satish Samant, a former Mumbai U-19 cricket team coach. “Jaiswal was fast-tracked to the Mumbai U-19 team from the U-16 level in 2017-18. I was impressed by his batting in the nets. When a selector asked if he was ready for U-19, I confidently said, ‘He deserves to play Ranji Trophy.’ In an U-19 match against a strong Madhya Pradesh side, I specifically told Jaiswal to avoid the slog sweep, a shot that had caused his dismissal previously. He didn’t play it once throughout the entire opening day,” Samant recounted.