Vishal Jayswal, 27, plays for Gujarat in domestic cricket, and on Friday (December 26), he was trending on the internet. It was because he prevented Virat Kohli from scoring a century in his second Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Delhi.
In the Elite Group D encounter at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, Jayswal stunned Kohli with his spin bowling in the 22nd over of Delhi's innings, stumping him for 77 runs from 61 deliveries.
Kohli looked poised to hit his fourth century in the sixth 50-over encounter, but Jayswal had other ideas. After Kohli, Jayswal denied Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant the opportunity to record a century. He bowled the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter after he had scored 70 runs off 79 balls.
See Virat Kohli’s dismissal here:
Jayswal, who concluded the match with statistics of 4 for 42 in 10 overs, had the opportunity to engage with Kohli after the game when he asked for an autograph on the match ball.
During the conversation, the batting great commended Jayswal and encouraged him to keep training because his moment will come.
“Achha ball daalta hai. Hard work karta reh. Opportunity aayega, wait kar, and mehnat kar (You bowl really well. Keep working hard. Your opportunity will come—be patient and keep putting in the effort," Jayswal told the Times of India.
Jayswal, who has 9 List-A wickets, stated that he didn’t make a special plan for Kohli.
“I didn’t have any specific plan against him. He’s a legend of the game. Just bowling to him is a huge moment, and there’s immense pressure when he’s at the crease. I spoke to him, and he gave me a lot of tips on how to remain calm under pressure, fitness, etc. Of course, I’m really happy to have dismissed him. Having a wicket like that next to your name is very special," he added.
Jayswal, who is from Nadiad in Gujarat, started playing cricket at the same academy where Axar Patel enrolled, and he credits Axar with helping shape his career.
“Axar Bhai has helped me immensely—from my cricket kit to jerseys and bats. I look up to him as an inspiration and mentor. I’ve always wanted to be a spin-bowling all-rounder like him. He teaches me how to be a game-changer—when to attack, how to control the run rate, and how to stay mentally strong. He always tells me, ‘Batting mein dhyaan sirf ball pe rakho, aur bowling mein batsman ke pair aur wickets pe.’ Those tips have helped me a lot," he added
