Picked at the auction in December last year by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) stint, Mumbai and India U-19 rising star Yashasvi Jaiswal is hoping to make his time spent with some of the team's prominent faces count.
The 18-year-old left-hand batter's story of great struggle after shifting base from Uttar Pradesh to the city of dreams and astonishing rise through the ranks continues to inspire.
He was India's best player at the U-19 World Cup in South Africa earlier this year after enjoying a fruitful season at the senior domestic level last winter and is now looking forward to the IPL 2020 in UAE, starting September 19.
The main reason for his excitement is getting to pick the brains of some of the world's best cricketers and coaches employed by the Royals.
"I am really excited to meet Steve Smith. It is going to be a big opportunity for me. I have seen him play, but IPL and RR have given me the platform to meet the legendary batsman and learn from him. I want to ask him about his mindset. I will ask him about the technical aspects of the game and how he prepares before a match," Jaiswal told the Times of India.
"I want to face Jofra Archer in the nets. He is a very different bowler and you can't judge him. He is a very talented bowler. I want to play him and improve my game. I am really excited to meet and learn from both Smith and Jofra," he added.
Jaiswal said even during the COVID-19 lockdown, he was regularly in touch with the coaches in the Royals' set-up over areas he perhaps needs to improve on as part of his preparation for the IPL 2020, which was shifted from its original window in April-May due to the pandemic.
"During the lockdown period, I was in touch with RR coaches," said Jaiswal, currently in quarantine. "They have helped me a lot in this period. I have followed their tips closely. They said do as much as you can in terms of workouts and regular exercises."
"I am really happy and lucky that I have a very good family like Rajasthan Royals and I am really proud to be a part of that family," he added.
