I got him admitted to a school but he didn't go, he used to say 'mera sir dard hota hai waha': Yashasvi's childhood coach Jwala Singh

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) Yashasvi Jaiswal’s meteoric rise ever since the 2023 Indian Premier League needs to be studied. A young man from humble beginnings has now been announced as a part of the squad that will travel to the West Indies and United States for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Ever since he has been on the Indian cricketing scene, rumours have been floating around about how the future of Indian cricket began his journey by working as a ‘Paanipuri waala’ selling ‘Golgappas’ to make ends meet.

Jwala Singh, the man who played a critical role in Jaiswal’s rise to the top has clarified the rumours in an exclusive conversation with IANS regarding the left-handed opener’s past as "he did not have to face any such hardship when he was with me (Singh) because I always treated him like my son."

"I am very proud that I did such a thing in my life, I took an unknown kid into my home, and treated him like family. Maybe his parents wanted to help him too but maybe they were not capable. God made me capable of taking this kid to new heights. He has never shared what he used to do before 2013, neither have I asked. Yes, stories do float around and maybe they are true. He used to live at Azad Maidan where there are a lot of vendors and many paani puri stalls. At that time, he did not play cricket so maybe he did that work for a few days but after 2013 I gave him a luxury life, he got a good bat, food, and living conditions," said Jwala to IANS.

"Not everybody knows that I got him admitted to a school but he didn't go, he used to say 'mera sir dard hota hai waha'. I got him into English classes... If you ever play in future and someone comes for an interview, you will need to know English. I am happy and very proud of him," he added.

Jwala played a huge role in building the story of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The coach met the young prodigy at the tender age of 13 and took him into his home for the following decade till 2022. He was largely responsible for fostering him to new heights besides not having any obligation to Jaiswal other than his own passion for cricket.

"I came to Mumbai in 1995 to play cricket. I unfortunately could not play for India but there was a fire within me or maybe god kept it for me that I reach such levels if not as a player then as a coach. I never thought he was someone else’s kid or what he sold or did not sell. I just wanted a player who had passion, and determination and worked hard. I don't put too much trust in talent because talent is just a seed. You may have a nice seed but it’s very important to water it and take care of it regularly.

"I brought Yashasvi as a seed to my house and I never thought what he would do in the future. I took that risk and I am very happy that he is playing for India and there could be no bigger achievement for me that I selected the kid who was not being taken care of," he added.

The 22-year-old made his IPL debut in 2020 and played 23 games across the next three seasons in which he accumulated 547 runs across 23 games played that include three half-centuries. This was followed by an unreal campaign in 2023 in which the young left-handed opener scored 625 runs with a strike rate of 163.61. The campaign also included five half-centuries and one century.

It was his heroics for the Rajasthan Royals that saw him being called up to the Indian side for the series against the West Indies where he once again shone. Jaiswal scored 171 runs on his debut. He has certainly showcased his ability of being a crucial player for India in the upcoming World Cup especially considering India’s 12-year drought at ICC tournaments.

"If you look at our team, Suryakumar Yadav is in form, Yashasvi scored a 100, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are scoring runs and the bowlers in Bumrah, Chahal and all players are in form. The one concern that I have is that all the players are currently playing in different teams. Cricket is a team game in which team combination matters.

"Our team is currently playing against each other in the IPL and it will be of utmost importance that our players put in a combined effort. All the players who are currently performing for their respective franchises, if they come together and replicate their performance then it won’t be that difficult for India to win the World Cup," said Jwala.