Thousands of cricket stories begin on the dusty maidans of Mumbai, but only a few ever take flight. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s story started not with comfort or big coaching setups but with hunger, both for food and for success.
At the age of 10, he left his small hometown of Suriyawan in Uttar Pradesh. He carried a heavy kit bag and an even heavier dream. In Mumbai, he first stayed on the roof of a dairy shop, but that shelter did not last long. Soon he was selling pani puri near Azad Maidan, living in a tent with the groundsmen, and playing cricket whenever he got a chance.
That picture of a young boy sleeping next to his bat under the open sky still feels unforgettable. Many kids dream of cricket, but very few stay when life gets tough. Jaiswal stayed. That stubborn spirit later became his biggest strength as a player.
The Mentor and the Turning Point
Every big story finds help at the right time. For Yashasvi, that help came from coach Jwala Singh. He saw in Jaiswal the same fire he once had. Singh not only trained him but also gave him food, shelter, and belief. Under his guidance, Jaiswal’s game turned from raw talent into proper skill.
What made him stand out was not just his shots or timing but his habit of never giving up. Singh often says that Jaiswal feared failure, but he never stopped batting. He faced every ball, match after match, and kept scoring runs in school cricket, Mumbai under-16, under-19, and later for India under-19.
In 2018, he was the top run-scorer in the under-19 Asia Cup. By 2020, he was the leading scorer in the under-19 World Cup. The same boy who once sold pani puri was now a name every scout wanted to sign.
The Domestic Dominance and the IPL Leap
For Mumbai in domestic cricket, Jaiswal was unstoppable. His first-class average crossed 60, and his centuries became bigger with time. He wasn’t only making runs; he was proving a point every time he batted.
When Rajasthan Royals picked him for ₹2.4 crore in 2020 IPL auction, it felt like life had finally turned his way.
That moment was special, but success and money never changed the person he was inside. His past had already taught him what value really means. For him, discipline mattered more than glamour.
The Big Leap: Test Cricket Arrival
Yashasvi made his Test debut in July 2023 against the West Indies. In that very first match, he scored 171 runs. That innings made everyone stop and take notice.
Since then, he has treated Test cricket as a place to explore all his skills. Like Sachin Tendulkar in his early years, Jaiswal has already played in South Africa, Australia, and England. Except for South Africa, he has performed strongly in all places.
He has scored centuries in the West Indies, Australia, and England, three very different conditions and three different kinds of bowling. His hundreds are not quick flashes; they are long efforts of patience and focus — 214*, 209, 171, and 161.
In the 2024 home series against England, he scored more than 700 runs. He became the first Asian opener in forty years to go past 600 runs in a single Test series. Since the days of Sunil Gavaskar, no Indian opener has dominated so many types of bowling so easily.
Numbers that Whisper Greatness
At 23, Jaiswal averages more than 52 in Tests and 56 in first-class cricket. Only three players in the history of the game have scored more Test hundreds before turning 24: Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, and Garry Sobers. That is rare company.
No one has scored more Test runs in the world since his debut. Only Joe Root has more centuries in this period, but Jaiswal has the most 50-plus scores. Four of his seven centuries have come outside Asia, something even many legends have struggled to achieve.
He is also the only batter with more than a thousand Test runs away from home since his debut. At just 23, he is already carrying India’s batting lineup and leading the world in Test performances during this time.
His Core Mental Strength
The toughness he shows while batting developed slowly, built from years of difficulty and learning to be patient. This is the same person who sometimes had to sleep without eating but still woke up the next day determined to pursue his original goal. Those early hardships taught him how to stay patient, deal with pain, and keep his mind steady in tough situations.
He is learning with every game. He knows when to attack, when to defend, and how to build partnerships. Like Sachin Tendulkar did when he was young, Jaiswal is learning to mix patience with flair. Now he plays not just for runs but for time, for India’s stability at the top of the order.
The Promise Ahead
Every generation gets one player who reminds us that dreams come true only through effort. For India, Yashasvi Jaiswal could be that player after Sachin Tendulkar.
He has the fearlessness of Sehwag, discipline of Dravid, and hunger of Kohli, but his story is his own. It is not only about cricket. His story is really about self-belief. Ultimately, this mindset comes down to trusting his own journey regardless of others doubts. It means diligently working hard behind the scenes and refusing to let his focus waver during difficult moments.
At just 23, he is already shaping the future of Indian Test cricket. The most exciting part is that he is still growing.
When people name India’s top five Test batters, left-handers rarely appear on that list. By the time Jaiswal finishes his career, that will surely change. His start already shows that it can.
The boy from Azad Maidan has come a long way, and if his story so far is any clue, the journey has only begun.