Yashasvi Bhupendra Kumar Jaiswal (born 28 December 2001) is an Indian professional cricketer who plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is the youngest cricketer in the world to score a List A double century. He was the leading run-scorer of India U-19 team and player of the tournament at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. At the 2020 IPL auction, Jaiswal was signed up by the Rajasthan Royals for ₹2.4 crore (US$300,000).

Early life

Jaiswal was born on 28 December 2001 in Suriyawan, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, as the fourth of six children, to Bhupendra Jaiswal, owner of a small hardware store, and Kanchan Jaiswal, a housewife. At the age of ten, he moved to Dadar, Mumbai, to receive cricket training at Azad Maidan. As Dadar was far away from the Maidan, he relocated to Kalbadevi neighborhood where he was given accommodation in a dairy shop in return for low-grade work. He was eventually ejected by the shopkeeper as he was unable to provide much help at the shop in between his cricket training. Having no place of his own, Jaiswal stayed in a tent with the groundmen at the Maidan, where he often slept hungry and sold panipuri to make ends meet.

After living in tents for three years, Jaiswal's cricketing talent was spotted in December 2013 by Jwala Singh, who ran a cricket academy in Santacruz, Mumbai. Singh took Jaiswal under his wing and provided him a place to stay, before becoming his legal guardian and obtaining his power of attorney.

Career

Youth career

Jaiswal first came to the limelight in 2015 when he scored 319 not out and took 13/99 in a Giles Shield match, an all-round record in school cricket, which was recognized by Limca Book of Records. He was then selected in Mumbai under-16 squad followed by India under-19s.Jaiswal was the highest run-scorer (318 runs) and player of the tournament at the Under-19 Asia Cup 2018 which India won. In 2019, he struck 173 off 220 balls in a Youth Test match against South Africa under-19s, who were bowled out for 152 and 85, in an innings win. Later that year, he scored 294 runs in 7 matches, including four half-centuries, in the under-19 tri-series in England which also featured Bangladesh.

In December 2019, he was named in India's squad for the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He became the leading scorer in the tournament and scored a century against Pakistan in the semi-final.

Senior career 

Jaiswal in 2019

Jaiswal made his first-class debut for Mumbai in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy on 7 January 2019. He made his List A debut on 28 September 2019, for Mumbai in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On 16 October 2019, he scored 203 runs off 154 balls in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Jharkhand and became the youngest double centurion in the history of List A cricket at 17 years, 292 days. His knock included 17 fours and 12 sixes against a bowling attack consisting of Varun Aaron and Shahbaz Nadeem. He was one of the top five run-scorers at the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 564 runs in 6 matches at an average of 112.80. He was named in the India B squad for the 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy.

In the 2020 IPL auction, he was bought by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL). He made his Twenty20 debut for the Rajasthan Royals in the 2020 IPL on 22 September 2020. He made his maiden half-century against Chennai Super Kings on 2 October 2021 Jaiswal made his maiden century in T20 cricket on 30 April 2023, scoring 124(62) against Mumbai Indians in a losing effort.

With all these achievements at such a young age, his behavior and ability to stay humble to everything around him is just unmatchable. His innocence and welcoming smile are still the same and I hope it doesn't change.

While his journey has just began, and I’m sure if he continues to stay humble and committed to the game, as he has been in past, he has a bright future and there is no doubt in it. He is already a huge star for kids in India, where Cricket is a religion and Sachin is the Demi God, I don’t see a reason for him not to achieve the success he aspires. Wishing him loads of success in the coming years. 

My Learnings from this story is –

1.  Never give up. Whatever life throws at you, you can still make something good out of it.

2. You stay committed and consistent; success is just a matter of time.

3. While everything around you may not be in your control, your inner dialogue is. Your self-belief can help you move mountains.

4. Be grateful and honest in everything you do. Don’t feel afraid or ashamed. Situation only works out for people who work on themselves and change it.