It has been revealed that it was Rohit Sharma who convinced young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to remain with the Mumbai team in the domestic cricket, despite applying for and receiving an NOC for a move to Goa.
After making the equally shocking choice to leave Mumbai for Goa earlier this year, Jaiswal made a surprising U-turn. He wanted leadership opportunities, which the Goa team reportedly offered Jaiswal, and all was set for him to make the switch.
After talks with other elite players and prompt action from India ODI captain Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal decided to change his mind about moving to Goa.
A report in the Mumbai Mirror claims that Rohit persuaded Jaiswal that changing states at this stage of his career wasn't the best course of action while pointing out Mumbai's contribution to his realization of the Indian dream.
“Rohit asked Yashasvi to stay on in Mumbai at this stage of his career. He (Rohit) explained to Yashasvi that there was a lot of pride and prestige in playing for a team like Mumbai, which has won the Ranji Trophy a record 42 times.
Rohit also told Yashasvi that he must not forget that it was because of Mumbai cricket that he got a platform to show his talent and go on to play for India, and he must be grateful to the city for that. It was here in Mumbai that he started playing cricket on the maidans and then was picked for all the age group teams of Mumbai," Mumbai Mirror quoted MCA president Ajinkya Naik as saying.
The 23-year-old wrote to MCA in April of this year, stating that he would like to move to Goa with his family and asking the organization to grant him permission to leave Mumbai and join a different squad.
“After discussing this with Rohit and a few other stalwarts who represented India and Mumbai, Jaiswal sent an email to us requesting us to withdraw his NOC for a shift to Goa. We approved his request," Naik said.
Yashasvi Jaiswal recently scored two centuries and two fifties for India on their Test tour to England.
