BGT 2024-25: 'Yashasvi promised to achieve greatness,' reminisces childhood friend
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New Delhi, Dec 5 (NationPress) From an Indian viewpoint, the focus is on how the young left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will perform in the second day-night Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, which begins on Friday.
The left-handed Jaiswal has captivated the cricketing community with his remarkable 161 runs in the second innings, after being dismissed for a duck in the first, playing a crucial role in India's victory over Australia by 295 runs in the Perth Test.
Now, his childhood friend Mudassir Khan shared that Jaiswal had expressed his intention to accomplish something significant during the Australia tour. “Usne bola tha ke woh kuch bada karega (he had said he would do something big). And he did that in the first Test itself.
“We noticed he transformed into a different player in the second innings after his initial dismissal. The most impressive aspect of his game is that he is a rapid learner. He continually works on his skills and possesses a sharp eye for detail,” Khan told Telecom Asia Sport.
Khan, who resides and works as a bat maker in a tent at Azad Maidan, recounted an occasion when Jaiswal surprised him with a visit to reminisce about their struggles to keep his cricketing aspirations alive.
“We frequently exchange messages. A cricketer had broken his bat and urgently needed a replacement, so I reached out to Yashasvi for a spare bat. Coincidentally, I sent the message during the third Test of the India-New Zealand series at the Wankhede.
“He responded, asking for my location. I informed him that I was at the Maidan. After the match concluded in three days, he told me to meet him at the gate. I assumed he would just greet me briefly as he is quite a prominent figure now.
“He exited his car and said, 'chalo andar, bahut din ho gaye. Aur kitna badal gaya hai (Let's get inside. It’s been a while and things have changed so much here). We reminisced about those days, discussing how he used to sleep in the tent, cook meals, and wander around the ground, playing matches and dreaming of achieving greatness,” he elaborated.
Khan also mentioned that Jaiswal confided in him about not making a significant score in the New Zealand series, which India lost 3-0, prior to embarking on the Australia tour. “He visited all those who played a part in his journey, including the groundskeepers at Azad Maidan and Chacha (uncle) with whom we lived. Yashasvi expressed that he hasn’t forgotten everyone who supported him during his challenging times. 'Their prayers are important to me,' he told me.”
“At that moment, he felt a bit disheartened for not being able to help India achieve victory, but he remained confident. He shared his ambition to score big every time he has an opportunity, aiming for scores like 150 or 200 runs. Yashasvi mentioned that if he gets a good 30 balls in the middle, he will be set for a big score. Bas 30 ball chahiye usko (he needs 30 balls to start). He unleashes his magic once he settles in,” he concluded.
